Hi, spoke to CAB not able to help me really except to say there was a good solicitor in the town near me who deals with benefit fraud. Contacted the solicitor who I spoke to on phone and she was lovely. She said that Tax Credit do not usually prosecute so I hope they will not try making an example of me. Have an appointment with her next Tuesday. She told me when the compliance team contact me to tell them Im taking legal advice and if they have a problem give them her phone number. They have not phoned me as arranged but I am sure they will probably contact me soon to say my money has been stopped. Do not know how we will cope without the money but im sure we are able to put in a joint claim. Will let you know what happens at solicitors and when I receive a letter from compliance team. Trying to keep calm . x

My line manager is wonderful could not ask for a nicer person but my HEO is a bit hit and miss. Depends what mood she is in. They all know how ill I was so I think they will be understanding. Thank you for being so kind.

I suppose the compliance team must be able to look at HMRC computer system which connects to the passport office or something. When I panicked and tried to deny a holiday he told me to remember that he worked for HMRC so I admitted to it. After I have been to CAB I will speak to the union. Im so angry with myself never done anything like this before and I love my job so much. Will never get another job with such nice friends who were brill to me when I was ill.

I had the same problem as you, I tried ringing the phone number on the letter for days. I left my phone number on the ans machine but they still did not get back to me. So I sent everything they requested and waited. After about 2 weeks I received a letter asking me to contact them on the number above on the new letter, only problem they had forgot to write number on letter. There was a fax number so I just phoned the fax number changed the last digit and somebody answered the phone. The person I spoke to gave me the persons number I needed to speak to. I phoned the person and managed to speak to them. I know a lot of people on this site speak to some nice members of staff but not me. All he seemed to do was ask me questions and dates he even knew when I had been on a holiday abroad. He knew about everything my partner had by post to my address mail order, credit card, etc. He also knew about my council tax only being in my name and other things. Im also worried how this is going to affect my job as I work for the DWP. He said he was unable to let me know what is happening till next week as he was only covering for somebody on holiday but he would be telling her to cancel my money and she would be getting back to me. I've decided to come clean and tell them everything just worried sick I will lose my job. Don't want to scare you but when you speak to them be careful what you say because they seem to already know the answer and want to catch you out. Best policy I think be honest. Hope it all goes well for you.

I am also wondering whether I should put my notice in at the DWP as I could not bare everyone to know what I have done? Do you think they will contact them? I have some wonderful work mates and love my job I could not bare being called in the office and then having to be escorted off my work place by security.I have been such a idiot I cant believe I just did not claim jointly because I do not think my income would have been much less as how low my partners income has been. I suggest anybody out there doing the same thing contact the FTC and change your claim. It is not worth all the stress and misery.

Thank you so much for answering my post. I will contact CAB first thing on Monday morning.

Could somebody please get back to me about this? Still not eating and sleeping. My nerves are terrible . Need to know should I just tell the truth ? Really do not want to lose my job and end up with a criminal record.

Five years ago me and my youngest childs father separated. I carried on working for the DWP but began to claim Tax Credits. Then back about 2 and a half years ago I had cancer and had to have surgery, chemo and radiotherapy. My childs father was very good while I was ill. I was off work for about 10months and I got behind with the mortgage and other bills and was really struggling. Me and my then ex partner decided to give it another go. He was only working part time and neither of us were able to catch up with the bills so we decided to carry on claiming Tax Credits for a while longer. We should have changed to a joint claim but we never got around to this. My oldest daughter went to University last September so I phoned Tax Credits to let them know so they would take her off the claim but still did not change my original claim. A few weeks ago I had a letter from the Tax compliance team who asked for various paperwork. I sent the paperwork and have since spoke to one of there team who seems to think I never phoned them about my daughter which I swear I did. I did tell him to listen to the phone call which Im hoping he will. Also he wanted to know how come I am receiving post for my partner and where is he living if not with myself ? Instead of telling the truth I lied and said he still does not live with me but basically the person from Tax Credit said he did not believe me. He then asked me had I been on any family holidays with my partner and I said no. I have my mother paid for my partner, herself, my children and me to go on holiday 3 months after I returned to work after being so ill. They are phoning back next week and I just want to tell the truth. I will go to court ,lose my job and I am so ashamed at what I have done. I have not slept or ate anything properly since and I am at the end of my tether. They will probably send me to prison and it is all my own fault. I cannot bear to be away from my children. What should I do?