Next tax credit payment gone down by half!

[MollyBloomYes]

I've completed my tax credits renewal (few weeks ago) and have a note on my online account that my award notice will be issued in a couple of weeks. However my next payment (due next week) is showing as half what it usually is!

Please somebody tell me this is just the automatic amount and it's not actually going to go down by that much! Nothing has changed for me but I did start claiming a higher amount part way through last tax year thanks to my son starting to receive highest rate DLA.

Freaking out a bit....

Could it be an extra payment

I hadn't even considered that, it's possible I suppose but seems weird for it to be due the day my 'real' tax credits are going in.

Urrrrrrrgh I'm going to have to call them aren't I?!

You've been over-paid last year. It's standard now to reduce the ongoing payments by 50% until this is paid back. You can call them to find out how long it'll be for.

I'll give them a call tomorrow. I don't know how I've been overpaid when nothing's changed from the details on my renewal I've been so on it with double checking details etc enormously frustrating and worrying that my expected income is now going to be slashed. Really really worrying

My first two payments this tax year are lower than normal as i was slightly overpaid last year .

Do you have a child turning 16 or 18?

Also, this time 12 months ago, my Working Tax Credit element was mysteriously taken away (despite nothing changing). It was a mistake it processing the renewal but it did take around 6 weeks to be put right .

Nope kids are 3 and 18 months. Never claimed WTC just had the amount changed for DLA halfway through claim. I guess that could be the reason but for gawd's sake I'm not the first person to change my claim why do they get the amount wrong?!

DLA makes your TC go up, not down. You get the disability element added on to it.