tax credits investigating my claim!!

[lolipop77]

Hi,
Ive had a letter today asking for my payslips to show hours worked and income for the year 2014-15. It says they think my payments have been wrong. At first I was very confused since I know all of my earnings declared are correct. After reading the letter and information sheet I looked at the renewal that was sent a few days ago. My renewal says 28 hours a week worked, I have actually been working 12 hours a week for over a year. Originally u didn't think this would affect my claim, but the information book says if working hours drop below 16 I should have informed them. I'm now in a right tizzy. The letter says I can get a penalty of £3000 or be prosecuted. Essentially I have failed, through stupidity, to tell them that I'm working less than 16 hrs per week. Has anyone got any advice please? I'm going to send them the information they want but I'm starting to get quite worked up about what's going to happen!!@

why didn't you tell them your hours weren't 28? you must have been paid more than you should have been.

I'd send them the info and see what happens, have no experience of this, as I'm a bit paranoid with tax credits and tell them changes right away.

actually, am a bit confused here, did you put a claim in saying you worked 28 hours but you actually worked 12 hours a week?

think you are owed money then?

I just didn't think about it, it's only when I've seen that the renewal that I have to fill in and send back for next year's credits has 28 hours on that I've realised my mistake.

Tbh go to a lawyer.

ssd I think she'd owe them as you get WTC when working over 16 hours? Depends on circs though, I think.

Ssd no, there is no entitlement to WTC if you work less than 16/24 hours depending on circumstances.
Op they won't prosecute but you will have to pay it all back plus a percentage as a fine.

When I say depending on circumstances: lone parent / carer certain disabilities/ sickness is 16 hours. Everyone else 24 hours.

It's a joint claim my husband works full time and I work part time. It just didn't occur to me about my hours because there was a lot going on around the time I had to decrease my hours. The only thing wrong on our claim from last year is my working hours are 12 not 18. We've never received wtc only child care tax most of which was the childcare element as my son is in nursery. Not sure whether to just ring the number on the letter and explain before I send the info they've asked for. I was Hopi g someone else on here might have experienced this in the past x

Sorry, got interrupted.

You need proper professional advice.

You don't want to say something that is incriminating that could be used against you in a criminal fraud prosecution.

As a minimum you are going to have to pay back what you owe, which may be everything you have claimed since you started working 15 hours.

This could include any other benefits, not just tax credits.

You also need to make sure you have the right amount now.

I thought you were only eligible for the Childcare element when you're claiming WTC? You need to clarify between yourselves and the tax office exactly what you've been receiving.

Ahhhh now I understand what exactly is wrong. I've been paid too much because I've been working less than 16 hours, so the childcare element is what I shouldn't have been paid. Which is bad considering that most of our award was childcare element. I didn't even realise it was an element of wtc. Ive never received the normal wtc so don't understand the rules of it. It just never occurred to me that we shouldn't be getting what we did. I'm so angry with myself for not paying more attention at the time. Now it sounds like we are facing a hefty repayment. Think i'll ring them on Monday, explain what's happened and send them the payslips they're asking for. I'm just eager to get it all resolved because I don't want it hanging over my head. Never been in trouble and it certainly doesn't feel good!!!

You can claim childcare costs without receiving a penny of regular wtc. However it has to be a nil award due to earning to much. You can't simply not be eligible due to not enough hours worked.

See attached

You would not have been eligible to claim the childcare element of working tax credits as you both have to be workng 16 hours to claim this. It is likely you will have had an overpayment. How much you have been overpaid will depend how much you have been getting in childcare help.best just to be honest and hope they let you repay gradually.

Please don't panic. Tell them the truth, I've been overpaid twice its been their mistake but I still have to pay it back. My last boss got charged the same amount as me despite her hours being more and her having one child to my three. Not sure how they get the figures!

They were great on the phone and will set up a standing order for what you can pay back per month. They won't expect a lump sum.

You're a bit confused.

-Your DH is entitled to WTC because he works full time. Whether he actually gets any still depend on your combined income.

-You are not eligible for WTC Childcare because you don't work over 16 hours.

So any money you've been paid for Childcare since going to 12 hours is an overpayment. I'd ring them and admit your mistake then offer a payment plan.