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Original poster

Concentrix/HMRC and childcare!!!

103 replies

jessicarabbit0411 · 21/05/2015 22:07

Hope someone will be able to help. Received the dreaded Concentrix childcare letter in March requesting a years worth of childcare receipts and bank statements. Was rather upset as I'm a widowed mum with a special needs child working 40 hours a week to make ends meet. I pay for a lot of childcare as although DS is secondary school age he can't be left alone without supervision. Realised when I calculated the figures that I had overestimated the amount I was paying so reckoned I would need to pay some of it back. A week ago I received my documents back in the post from Concentrix.
Then I received two payments I wasn't expecting from tax credits into my bank account. I rang Concentrix who said my case was closed and they were unable to make a decision so they have referred my case back to HMRC. I can't get through to HMRC they say I need to speak to Concentrix!! I don't want to spend the money as I'm sure they've paid me in error. Help!!!!!

OP posts:
realoatsy · 05/05/2016 16:13

Hi All,

if anyone can please assist in any way I will be eternally grateful as I haven't slept for a week since I've got this letter and have been feeling almost suicidal.

I received a letter from concentrix on behalf of HMRC asking for details of my chilcare provider to make sure that they (HMRC)don't overpay my tax credits for the next tax year.

I have 2 kids 8 and 6 and pay a lady £140 a week to look after them, they same lady has been doing it since they were born and does a brilliant job. When I phoned and asked her for her childminder registered number she told me that she hasn't been registered for the last 3 years and that she told me this at the time.

If she did then I genuinely can't remember it. She is of retirement age and survives on a state pension along side the amount I pay her for childminding half of which she ends up spending on my kids in the form of food, clothes birthday and xmas presents she even brings them presents when she heads away on breaks.

I'm now worried sick that I will have to pay back 3 years of tax credits to HMRC - my wife and I do not earn huge amounts of money and the tax credit money helped us provide a comfortable if non extravagent life for our kids.

Can anyone adivise me, we don't want to give up our childminder who we are all very happy with especially the kids, on the other hand if we are asked to pay back all these tax credits it will cripple us financially, all over an inadvertant oversight.

I haven't yet sent the letter back, I was thinking of sending it in with the registration number that I had and hope that it may still go through on their system, then make the amendment on this years tax credit return.

If anyone can provide and help or words of comfort to help me sleep please do.

youknowwhattodo · 05/05/2016 20:05

Hi realoatsy,

If i was you i would just fill in the forms and explain to them. I think they will cancel you childcare payment though if they are not registered

Babyroobs · 06/05/2016 21:19

Your childcare provider must be registered to claim child tax credits.

Babyroobs · 06/05/2016 21:23

Realoatsy - If you have to pay money back, they should let you do so gradually but if your childminder is not registered then you may need to consider looking for another childminder. To be honest I am surprised that HMRC have never asked for the registration number before now, they must accept part of the blame surely ? It must be worrying that this has gone undetected for so long.

youknowwhattodo · 07/05/2016 17:07

Hi, i know this is an old thread but wondered if anyone could help. I have received a letter asking for proof of childcare. In the letter from them it says that employer vouchers should not be included. Now my ex husband sends through his vouchers from his employer to the nursery every month as a way towards maintenance . It is £243 a month. I am really worried now that i have been over paid as i have never told them, they never asked, and as it is his maintenance i never thought it would make a difference. I will send everything off but just wondered if anyone knows what might happen. Thanks

Babyroobs · 07/05/2016 21:49

Do your invoices from the Nursery show the amount after the vouchers have been deducted?

youknowwhattodo · 07/05/2016 22:08

Yes the invoice shows my direct debit payments and then his voucher payments

RutDweller · 07/05/2016 22:38

I think it's because you can't claim tax relief on childcare vouchers AND say you're spending £243 on childcare costs. But crucially you are not doing this as its not you getting the tax relief. Is it documented anywhere that this is how he will pay you? This may help but either way id phone HMRC and explain situation.

youknowwhattodo · 08/05/2016 02:39

No it is not documented anywhere it was just an agreement between ourselves but it is clear on the statement the vouchers are from him. I will give them a ring or send forms off and explain. Thanks for replying.

SparklySoul · 09/05/2016 18:23

Hi everyone,

I have received a letter from concentrix asking for proof of my childcare costs. Everything was the same until September when my youngest started nursery with his funded hours. I rang them to get it all updated, and when my award came through I checked my income (as i'd updated that too) and my child care.

My income figure was changed correctly and it said that the child care element of my tax credits is reduced to zero - so assumed it was all fine.

Fast forward to now. I received my renewal pack and then the letter from concentrix. I check my renewal and sure enough - it says my child care costs are still the same from before September. I rang the HMRC renewals and have told them that my costs now are almost nothing, which they've updated for this year.

So I know I have had an overpayment, my question is: has anyone been in this situation as well? I am completely prepared to repay the overpayment (which i'm assuming will be a considerable amount!) but at the same time, I didn't think I was getting any help towards my child care as it says zero.

I am just looking for other peoples outcomes really. I accept it was an error (I should have checked properly) but at the same time, it's very misleading on my award notice!

Thank you.

AndNowItsSeven · 09/05/2016 18:33

Youknow it doesn't matter who claims the vouchers you can use both for the same children UNLESS it's for the amount above max tax credit amounts. Eg for two children you can claim tax credits equal £210 for £300 of childcare if say your childcare was £400 a week you can use employee vouchers for £100. So tax credits pay £210 you pay £90 and ex vouchers pay £100.

youknowwhattodo · 09/05/2016 19:18

Sorry Andnow i don't understand. I am not getting the vouchers just exh through his employer to pay for dd but i never let hmrc know, i just let them know the total amount of childcare (if that makes sense). Will i have to pay them back or is that allowed?
Thanks for replying

AndNowItsSeven · 09/05/2016 19:26

No I know you aren't getting the vouchers but it's irrelevant whether you get them or your ex.
How much us your childcare weekly and how many DC I can work it out for you.

AndNowItsSeven · 09/05/2016 19:26

Is not us.

youknowwhattodo · 09/05/2016 19:31

Thanks - Weekly childcare is £187 and just 1 child in childcare

AndNowItsSeven · 09/05/2016 19:48

Anything over £175 the max you can claim
for one child can be paid for in vouchers so you can use £12 a week in vouchers.
That leaves you with £44 of childcare costs that in hmrc eyes you do not have as vouchers ( tax free already paid for them).
That makes your ctc entitlement approx £91.70 a week - 70% of £131.
Your overpayment will be anything that you were paid above that weekly entitlement. Does that make sense?

youknowwhattodo · 09/05/2016 20:10

Ahh thank you for explaining that. That makes sense. I never realised £175 was the max you could claim. At least the overpayment won't be as bad as I had originally thought...I was panicking lol

AndNowItsSeven · 09/05/2016 22:25

Yes £175 or £300 for two dc, without the childcare vouchers you would be entitled to £122.50 a week working tax credits for childcare, am assuming that's the amount you currently receive. Plus obviously your regular ctc.
It would be better financially for you if your ex paid you in cash.

StrawberryInSpace · 10/05/2016 23:52

Does anyone know what happens if you don't send the concentrix form back? I know it says on it they will stop your payments but is that it? Or will they keep pestering.

youknowwhattodo · 11/05/2016 06:40

I think they would send you a reminder as some people have never received first letter and just had the reminder! Are you not sending yours strawberry?

SparklySoul · 11/05/2016 08:06

strawberry I tried to find that out too - but cab told me they may fine up to £3000 for it. I am not getting any tax credits this year so there's nothing for them to stop! I would assume they will keep pestering but I have no idea!

StrawberryInSpace · 11/05/2016 10:39

I was just wondering because when I had my renewal come through and the letter from concentrix I worked out my average weekly childcare costs and realised the figure they have is about £30 higher than what I actually pay which I genuinely didn't realise, I know it's my fault for not checking. But now it means when I told them I'm going to have to repay a lot of money and I'm worried about being in trouble for not updating my information. If I'm repaying an overpayment then they're going to stop what they give me anyway so if the only penalty for not sending it back is to have my tax credits stopped I'm just wondering if I could get away with not renewing and not sending back the concentrix form and hope it all goes away ?! I know that's not the honest way to do it and obviously I might get in even more shit for not owning up to being overpaid... I certainly don't want to end up with a £3000 fine!

youknowwhattodo · 13/05/2016 08:08

Anyone know how long it takes concentrix to let you know about your case after you have sent documents off

SparklySoul · 13/05/2016 08:26

Looks like it's taking weeks, up to 3 months - not quickly!

youknowwhattodo · 13/05/2016 08:32

Oh no - i only sent mine this week and was hoping to hear back soon Sad