Stupidly didn`t renew tax credits and now they want it back ? Anyone else done same ?

[fakeblonde]

Ive just rung the helpline and because i didnt renew my tax credits they now want 177 back ?
I know it was silly not to renew but we only get the min 35.oo every 4 weeks and i thought they would just continue and if they did stop when i got around to renewing they would maybe backdate?
I am loathe to call now with my N I no. ect because they want money back .

I always thought you only had to renew if your circumstances had changed. Off to check bank statement!

That happened to me. The guy on the phone told me not to contact then unless my money went into a new bracket. It didn't, I didn't . Then they write telling me I owe them money!!

Well i`ve just spoken to a nice lady who advised me to dispute the request and is sending me a dispute form so hopefully i might not have to pay it back.

I thought you has to return a form/phone to confirm your circumstances hadn't changed.

i didn't return the form since no change to our circumstances

you need to fill out the form they send you every year, this confirms your income from the year before and insures they are paying you the correct amount.
It tells you so on the adverts that are everywhere around that time of year. (The tv, radio, newspaers, magazines, buses etc {hmm} )

rather

Yes you always have to fill in sign and return the declaration that they send you which also includes info on whether you think your circumstances will change in the current year.

fb, if they do insist you pay it back, fill in a new claim form, then when they work out (again!) what you will receive, any amount owing, can be deducted from your payments. i know it means for a while, you will totally loose tax credits, but at least it will be reimbursed and after that, you can start from scratch again.

or you can just ignore it we moved a few years ago and forgot to renew, then had a letter saying we owe £350, we never responded to it, and haven't heard anything since either, but we've never claimed tax credits since then though, like you, we only got the minimum and found the whole thing to be not worth the hassle tbh.

I've never renewed, I thought that if everyone had to renew each year it would be too much paperwork, so only if circumstances had changed you renew. Obviously I didn't read it properly!

mutt - we're not rolling in it by any means, but we get by. it isn't worth the hassle for us because we are both self employed and also have some employed earnings, it's complicated and their computer system just does not understand our situation as we don't fit into the boxes on their forms, it has enough trouble just understanding the basics!

I owe the tax credits some money but they're not claiming it back at the moment. I don't know why - maybe they're waiting until my income pushes me above the limit so they can then stop my payments altogether and I have to repay at the same time . Sufficient unto the day....

Have just phoned them and if your circumstances haven't changed then you don't have to renew.