Yeah it was less than a week, I moved in with my ex around the same time. I can't remember exactly when so it just seems simpler to end it from when I stopped working the first job. I'm terrified of phoning them. Working for them was awful, I had a breakdown which I'm over but i think there some residual PTS there. I know there are good advisors there who don't judge, but I can't take the risk of getting a horrible one that will ask lots of questions and possibly be a bit mean. I cry at the drop of a hat.

So i typed up this letter...do you think it sounds ok? "Dear Sir/Madam I am writing to inform you that I have made a very grave error in neglecting to inform you of correct changes to my Working Tax Credit Claim. The information you currently hold for me is incorrect. I finished work with ------- on 25/06/2013. My paye for the 2012/2013 tax year was ------. Immediately after leaving ------- I then went to work for ----------- and moved in with my ex-partner at the same time. My claim with you should have ended at this point – 26/06/2013, as I was now living as part of a couple. My paye for the 2013/2014 tax year was -------------- Upon leaving ------- and moving in with my ex-partner I should have informed you of my change in household instead of just updating work details but for some stupid reason I didn’t and it has tormented me since then. Things have gotten out of control, I’ve buried my head in the sand and I’ve been terrified about informing you of this change. My claim should have ended from 26/06/2013. I am fully aware that I will have a substantial overpayment and I am fully prepared to pay it back. Unfortunately I am not working at the moment, I am returning to college to re-train and improve my job prospects as I have health issues and cannot do the work I am originally trained to do. I think this situation may have an effect on my student funding claim but I’m not sure. However I would certainly provide any income and expenditure details needed so I can fix this. Please accept my sincerest apologies, I have no excuse for what I have done except I got scared after the lie and have been petrified ever since." Thank you for all the help btw.

Yes sorry, maybe I wasn't clear in my panicked state. I stopped working with one employer, then moved in with my ex immediately after and started another job at the same time (because I had to move cities). I just updated the work details with them, not that I had moved in with a partner. And yes - 12/13 & 13/14 figures are correct. It's just the 14/15 that are incorrect.

Thank you for your replies. I'm sorry I deleted the content of my post, I just got so scared yesterday after filling in funding forms for college and panicked posted and then regretted it, but I admit it is a relief to get it all out. I'm going to write a letter today explaining that I finished work in 2013 giving my P60 details for the 12/13 & 13/14 tax years. I don't claim any ctc as I have no dependants so I'll have to do repayment plan through the overpayments team. I'm not going to claim any other benefit (esa or jsa) as I'm hoping to go to college so can't be on benefits like that during that time - that I'm aware of anyway. I just don't really know what to write. I changed jobs and informed them of the change even though I should have, at that point, stopped my claim. Blondebubbles - I get the lower disability element of wtc due to my health and the impact it has on the type of work I can do which is why the amount is so high. I stopped working first, then moved in with my partner. And yes, I made up the figures for this years AR (14/15) but not the previous years, those at least were the only truthful things here.

So I've been claiming wtc when I shouldn't and I am terrified and feel like a rabbit stuck in the headlights. I was claiming it legitimately, living with my parents, then I moved in with my partner for a year. After a year the relationship ended and I moved back home but have struggled to find work since due to various health issues, yet I've still claimed and it's just snowballed. To make matters worse I used to work for hmrc benefits about 5 years ago & had a breakdown due to the work which led to other health issues finally resulting in me losing my job about 5 years ago it's not like I didn't know what I was doing. In my head I thought I'd be claiming other benefits anyway so why switch? Pretty effin stupid right? God knows what I was thinking. I'm petrified about phoning them due to my experience with them but I know I have to. *Deep Breath* I should have stopped claiming about June/July 2013 and I estimate I owe roughly £11.5k. I'm scared that this admission will be traced but I have no one to talk to about it. I'm a terrible person, I am so ashamed and feel so guilty. I'm terrified that I'll get sent to prison, be made an example of because I worked there. My parents will disown me and I'll be the shame of the family. I'm the quiet reliable one who hates to disappoint anyone. My parents will be devastated. I live with them and hid it all this time. They think I'm on esa or jsa. My ex-partner had no idea either. I'm trying to better myself by going back to college to retrain because I can't do the job I'm already trained to do due to health, but as I was filling in my form I realised they liaise with DWP etc. so I'm bound to get found out. Please help & tell me what to do