Help! My tax credits are being stopped!

[zestyflavour]

I have just been informed that my tax credits are being stopped. They said I was overpaid last year and now I don’t qualify for anything this year. I’m investigating further but it’s hopeless when dealing with the government. My earnings this year will be £2500 less and if they stop my tax credits then I’ll literally gave £50 a month to live on.
I’m trying to get hold of citizens advice. I’ve tried universal credit but it’s not in my area, I don’t know where to turn.
Has this happened to anyone, and what did you do?

Have you been overpaid last year or have they got it wrong? Have you told them your income is lower this year? I would try citizens advice and if you can’t sort something then email your MP.

They will have estimated your earnings for this year as been slightly more then last year, so over the threshold. As your earning are going down by more then the disregard they can recalculate in year based on what you think you'll earn. Contact them as soon as you can with your earning, hopefully your claim will still be active so they can update it instead of having to start over.

Normally you can update income online (not sure if they've already stopped it though) try that first as it will be easiest, but if not ring the helpline. In my experience you'll be on hold for ages but when you get through there actually alright (I might have just been lucky though).

Thank you. I have updated them with my earnings and they still state I'm owed nothing?? It makes no sense. I'm off to citizens advice this morning, and good idea about contacting my MP!

Hope it go's / went well with citizens advice, sorry I couldn't be more use.

Have you tried putting your earning into a benefits calculator, the turn to us one's great www.turn2us.org.uk/. I've always found their estimated quite accurate, so if they say your entitled then there's probably been a mistake with tax credits processing.

Ring the CAB.

Email your MP, I had serious trouble 5 years ago due to a massive error on their part and my MP got it sorted for me. Good luck, I know how stressful this is. X

I don't understand tax credits. They allegedly use last years figures to pay you but if your pay goes up they claim you're overpaid (even though they're using last years figures?!)

I would use the online facility personally - you can message them and then print off the entire conversation for your records. Don't trust a word they say anymore after overpaying me by £6 (THEIR FAULT) but I had no proof I had continually rung and asked was it correct. Finally managed to pay it off suffering hardship in the process. As soon as my last child starts school in Sept i am cancelling it. Even though it's money I need, I don't need the constant stress of every time a letter comes through the door.

I went to citizens advice, which was a traumatic experience in itself! They said tax credits are being investigated (I don't know who by) Anyway she said I'd have to wait until August and that there is nothing I can do in regards to payments, so I have to sit tight until then! Everyone I speak to engage has a terrible experience with tax credits and have all been overpaid and then had to pay it back, I genuinely can't understand why they are such a mess!!