tax credit compliance letter

[parislove00]

I have just received a compliance letter 16/03/13, it says that during 2011/2012 I earned more then I declared. I've spent the weekend pulling house apart looking for p60, and they are right. The letter asks for proof of any pension investments or overseas investments, of which I have none. I have till the 25/03/2013 to dispute the earnings, if they don't hear from me they will make the ajustments.

At first I wasn't concerned the amount declared is not vastly under what I earned, so I was just going to leave them make ajustments, however out of interest I decided to do a bit of googling and now im In a right state about it!!!!! Ive read some horror stories.

I just want some reassures that I was right not to be too concerned and that I haven't got people outside my house watching my every move. Im aware that I have earned a lot more money this year 2012/2013 but I still fall into the bracket of being able to claim tax credits.

I am now on zero hour contract at work and some weeks I can o ly get 14 hours work and other weeks I can 38 hours of work, should of declared by now? I thought you declared it when I next renew the tax credits?

Should I contact them or just leave them to make the adjustments? Will they ask for other details?

Many thanks

Edited March 17, 2013 by parislove00
felt I needed to write thank you felt rude for my first post

[scotgal68]

Only if your income goes up by £10,000, should you inform them immediately if its under then it's as soon as possible. It sounds as if your award has been selected for an income check and PAYE system shows your earned income as more. They will readjust your award. Write back tell them no other source of income. As for your hours there is a requirement to tell them immediately should they fall below the required 16hrs. However it would only affect your award if they remained low after the permitted temporary reduction period of 4weeks x

[parislove00]

Thank you I can assure you it hasn't gone up by that much! I really wasn't concerned when I first got it I just checked my p60 when I eventually found it and thought what a plonker for not checking properly, but mistakes are made and the letter didn't seem threatening to me. I gave been honest in the past and declared wgen my wages have gone over , and ut was just taken back from my new claim, hence the reason I haven't told them about this years yet. Then I googled and my god did I start worrying.......people saying they've had to produce proof about everythingabd anything, some talking about having to pay thousands back after failing to produce all that was asked of them! I can't remembe what I did last week let alone three, four, five years ago.

I simply thought their was a discrepancy that needed to check and alter according. One woman has even said that she was being spyed on

!!!!

[scotgal68]

I seriously doubt the spying story, too much resource involved in that. They are asking for other income details incase you've 'forgotten' to disclose them. If you have no other income then tell them as much. The onus is on them to prove you have, not yours to prove you don't. They will already know if you have, they have access to PAYE system. I wouldn't worry too much. Provide only what you have been asked for, if they need more, they'll soon ask x

[parislove00]

Thank you very much. I was honestly looking at a van parked outside the house thinking 'I haven't seen that van before'........I do worry and I am abit of a drama queen at times. Like I said it didn't seem threatening when I read it. I feel much better now, I will write ba k and co firm tne details and leave it at that.

[scotgal68]

Lol - let us know how you get on. Hope it all goes well x

[parislove00]

I will , I have spent most of the day reading various forums on the subject and no one seems to let us know their outcomes! I would rather not have tax credits anymore as im doing really well in my job and haven't progressed due to being worried about having my tax credits stopped , over payments etc......a lot of my extra hours this year have been due to training that I wouldn't have the opportunity to do again.

[parislove00]

Have sent letter today stating I do not receive pension investments, overseas investments or forigen investments, and that their records are correct for my 2011/2012 totel earnings. Still worrying, I actually wish I had never googled about the letter, reading some of the horror stories on here has made my stomach turn.

Spoke to someone at work about it today and they told me how her sister had to pay back £13000!!!!

As soon as this has been dealt with Im getting out of it , I don't want to spend the rest of my working life worrying about having to pay back money etc......I don't care if I have to pay them back as a result of not renewing I want to further my career and not worry all the time if at the end of the year im going to receive nasty letters. All I wanted to do when my son was born was to give him a good life and snow him how working hard pays off, but working hard in this country gets you no where, must nasty letters advising you that you've done too much work!!!

[jadeybags]

Have sent letter today stating I do not receive pension investments, overseas investments or forigen investments, and that their records are correct for my 2011/2012 totel earnings. Still worrying, I actually wish I had never googled about the letter, reading some of the horror stories on here has made my stomach turn.

Spoke to someone at work about it today and they told me how her sister had to pay back £13000!!!!

As soon as this has been dealt with Im getting out of it , I don't want to spend the rest of my working life worrying about having to pay back money etc......I don't care if I have to pay them back as a result of not renewing I want to further my career and not worry all the time if at the end of the year im going to receive nasty letters. All I wanted to do when my son was born was to give him a good life and snow him how working hard pays off, but working hard in this country gets you no where, must nasty letters advising you that you've done too much work!!!

 

You're not kidding tbh, I was way better off on income support, the mistakes the benefit depts make along with there not actually being any rewards for working more hours has got me in debt that I never had for 10 yrs when my kids were young. I had never even had a credit card until I turned 40. At the moment I am stuck in a rut because I can't earn more, because they'll just take it.

[scotgal68]

So true Jadey - keeps you firmly in a rut. Paris good luck with your letter. I think those huge overpayments are for undisclosed partners and drastically underestimating your Income and/or failing to tell them you're not paying for childcare anymore x

[parislove00]

Came home to three Brown envelopes yesterday. Nothing too shocking I've been over payed by £1000 of which I've already paid back £360 the rest will be taken back from future claims. I also received a letter from compliance thanking me for quick response and providing information required.

[scotgal68]

Not so bad then, at least you'll stop checking for vans outside your house lol x

[parislove00]

I have (I think) successfully withdrawn my claim. Wrote a letter back in April explaining that my wages will greatly increase during 2013/2014 tax year and I would like to withdraw my claim. First I received letter saying they couldn't amend my claim until the renewal forms were sent out. Today I received a letter saying my claim has been withdrawn and I owe £400.00 plus the overpayment from last year. If my circumstance change I can re apply.

Hopefully I'm free of them now, my boss has agreed to loan me the money to pay them back asap.

Fingers crossed its the end.

[scotgal68]

I'll cross mine too.. Glad it's over(hopefully) xx