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HELP! Owe tax credits a substantial amount

9 replies

Gastonia123 · 31/12/2021 21:09

So I have recieved child tax credits for a number of years and always reported any changes etc. The last month my husband has recieved a £1000 pay increase but I changed it to account for overtime which is now being offered and I am starting to work 16 as opposed to 8 hours with doubled pay. I changed it all on tax credits and the award went down to 0 so I applied for universal credit as we still earn pretty much on the bread line and benefit calculators have said that we will get a small amount from universal credit.

I have now got a letter from tax credits saying that if the amount doesnt change then we will owe £850 and we will pay it back monthly out of our tax credits. The letter was obviously sent out before I cancelled my tax credits as I waited about a week to weigh up the pros and cons when our tax credits went to 0 but now we are not getting it anymore will I still owe them money? If I do does anyone know if it will be 8/12 months of the 850 that I pay for. Neither of our pays have actually increased before I cancelled it will thay make a difference. I've worked myself up because I dont have that kind of money and 850 debt plonked out of nowhere is a it of a shock

OP posts:
Santahatesbraisedcabbage · 31/12/2021 21:11

They have to allow a lot longer than they offer for you to repay. For example I owed 10 weeks of a single claim when I got married and it became a joint claim. Been paying £15 a month for 6 years now!

Gastonia123 · 31/12/2021 21:15

Oh so you could do a payment plan. I'm hoping as I've cancelled tax credits before our first pay increase itll decrease the overall amount. Hopefully they have an automated system that sees how much you've earned like the renewal but I doubt it Hmm

OP posts:
Lennybenny · 31/12/2021 21:17

If you qualify for UC they'll take it out of that monthly. If not you should be able to do a monthly payment plan.

SevenSteps · 31/12/2021 21:17

They do allow you a decent amount of time for repayments providing you contact them promptly. We are repaying them £30 a month over twelve years after they failed to update my claim, despite being informed in plenty of time, when I married.

Gastonia123 · 31/12/2021 21:19

@Lennybenny oh god it that automatic. Universal credit was going to fund a portion of my daughters child care so I could go back to work

OP posts:
Gastonia123 · 31/12/2021 21:20

@SevenSteps that's ridiculous surely that's a them problem and not a you problem

OP posts:
PinkiOcelot · 31/12/2021 23:34

Don’t worry OP. I’m paying £10 a month for the next 5 years. I just went online and set it up.
I’m sure I’ve paid back more than I ever claimed.

Babyroobs · 01/01/2022 00:33

They will take it from your Uc payments.

Lennybenny · 01/01/2022 21:04

Yes it's automatic and no you don't get to choose how much they take. It's just tacked on the bottom that it's a deduction.

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