Single tax credit debt in my partners name?? Maybe his ex wife ??

[Emz2019]

My partner recently got a letter saying he owes x amount to single tax credits. Yeah hey have been closed every time he’s finished work and he works weekends when they are closed and has been unable to speak to them since getting the letter a few days ago.... doesn’t single tax credits mean a single person with children claimed it?? It appears when he lived with his ex wife some years ago she went through a stage of saying she was single while he was working away so she could claim more money! Is this another one of those? He’s never lived single with his children and says he’s never even claimed tax credits!

How much does he owe?

If his wife claimed it when he was residing in their house and still married even if he was away she should have claimed jointly as tax credits goes on joint income. He will need to ring them and ask for any copies of paperwork yearly award notice relating to period they says he owes them he can surely ring on his lunch hour during working week

If he can't find time to call them during his lunch break (bloody hard these days with huge wait times!) he should write to them.

If it’s a joint claim he will be held equally responsible for any debt. (My ex had this problem- they let him set up a payment plan to pay £20 a month off it). Can your DP get in touch with his ex?

He’s owes £1386, he isn’t on good terms with her and it’s all court orders and restraining orders, (he has the restraining order against her) he was also called to an interview last year with the job centre and they asked if he was living at her address from 2013 until 2015 he said he was and was working away and they asked how much he earned and what not then told him she had been claiming to live alone and was claiming housing benefit! And my partner told them that her mum was her landlord! My partner is a courier so doesn’t get a lunch break he eats on the go as he’s getting upto 200 parcels a day to get off! Since this lockdown the amount of people online shopping has sky rocketed. Monday’s arnt usually to busy so hopefully he’s finished tomorrow before they close, there are cameras in the vans so he can’t even just ring them and have his phone on speaker In the van not to mention he would go be going to a door with a parcel while having a rant on the phone. It doesn’t actually say when it’s from as it’s from a debt company not the actual HMRC. Hopefully tomorrow he gets to the bottom of it!

For £1386 i'd be tempted to pay it and be done with it, especially as he was interviewed and admitted to be living at her address.

If he can't use the phone at work he can write to them when he gets home. Letters are actually quicker than trying to get through on the phone these days anyway.

Good luck.

Shouldn’t they be going after her for Benefit afraid instead?! Your poor DP!!

@NotSuchASmugMarriedNow1 £1386 isn’t pocket change- no way I’d just pay that without a fight!

@Emz2019 if they do enforce it- see if he can at least do a payment plan for a minimal monthly amount. Good luck

He Managed to get through to it and explained and this was from 2013 which was before we met..... he’s been given a number to ring for fraud but he’s worried about ringing it and getting her into trouble as she will turn it around and make the kids dislike him! I’m demented!