Massive overpayment letter hmrc tax credits!

[emalou90]

Had a random letter from hmrc saying that they recently wrote to me saying I owe them £6,282.45?! I haven't had any letters since I had an end of claim letter saying nothing owed from me or them.

It has my NI number on but has no details of where I owe them this money from (eg between what tax year) which is strange to me but I guess all I can do is call them and find out?

It's a letter dated 1st march yet it says, you must pay back ££ by 15th January 2014!? Hold on, I'm no scientist but I can't travel back in time from this letter I don't recall any other letters telling me I owe them money. I'd remember them surely?

Argh stressing or what!! Where am I going to get 6k from?!
I'm not even claiming tax credits anymore because it's too much hassle for not enough gain iykwim?

I'm guessing all I can suggest is to put a claim in for tax credits and just let them not pay me until the 6k is paid off? I've no idea of any solutions yet as I need to ring them but still, very very stressful and worrying. I've had no warnings yet to come home to this letter is not nice!!

Anyone had similar before?

 

[HannahGraceee]

Defiantly ring them! they told me I owed £7000! but it was actually because when I changed my claim to single (when I kicked OH out ) and them changed it back I forgot to tell them how much OH made so I really owed them £100 hopefully they will sort it out! If not yeah maybe put in a other claim and ask them to take it out of that xx

 

[emalou90]

100 is better than 7000 Hannah!! Jeez!

I just can't believe I've had no other letters telling me and now I have an explanation on what 'distraint' is and that a hmrc officer can come and note my things for repo!! Wtf

The only thing I have changed between the end of my 2013 claim was that me and oh got back together in October, so I rang and told them that, but asked to end my claim, which as far as I'm aware, happened. I've had no payments since October! (We didn't reclaim because OH earns quite a bit and it's not been worth the paperwork to get like £20 a month or whatever it is, we were going to start again in May when baby is born)

I'm thinking maybe they just changed it from the end of my claim and are trying to claim the whole period back?! Won't be able to find out until tomorrow now - then I'll be sitting on the phone for hours trying to sort it.
Funny how they don't tell you WHY you owe it but it's just an overpayment. There's not even a time period of when it happened?
xx

 

[HannahGraceee]

God I know! Mine wasn't even that long ago (we only broke up cos he didn't want another baby look who won that?) so when I got the letter I was like 16 weeks and Emotional so I know how you feel! They can't just take your things, ring them and you can get it sorted out xx try not to worry xxc

 

[emalou90]

I rang tax credits, they said it was because I didn't renew in July, but I did send the paperwork off? So maybe they didn't get it? I have no idea, I remember shoving the paperwork in the stupid envelope after figuring out all my figures etc! And I've always renewed? They can see that on records.

So they also said they sent me letters in November to my new address about how I'm now liable to pay for the tax year worth of monies because of the above...
But I haven't got these letters? I've only got this last one? I find that a bit strange, the TC man said I should check my postal service?! Being cheeky?!

It's strange how I got the last letter before any action is taken yet I haven't got the ones before?
I checked with the TC man who said the letters were sent to my new address. I wouldn't ignore £6k worth of debt! He couldn't get me off the phone quick enough, just told me to ring the debtors on Mondays and get them to explain.

There is no way I'm paying that back. Stamps feet.

 

[Pearls18]

How can you owe them that much if you're not claiming from them anyway?!

 

[emalou90]

Not claiming 'anymore'
I was up until October just gone

 

[Pearls18]

Still that would be a massive over payment wouldn't it! Hope it's sorted soon hun.

 

[Pearls18]

Btw my previous message was meant to be accusatory towards HMRC not you in case it looked the other way around!

 

[Abz1982]

So they paid from when. April to October......so 7 months of payments only.......and in those 7 months the claim was technically valid as you only got back with OH in the october...you werent with him at that start of April?

Have you done the calculator based on what the correct figures were? There shouldnt be anything owing if you cancelled.
I asked re childcare fees, and they told me to call back a week before they change...so they calculate a yearly amount, then into the payments.......but that can change at any point.
It sounds like someones fucked up.

Get copies of the bank account it was being apid into and show it wasnt. Get proof your claim was correct. If you didnt send back the renewal back, then whey did they continue to pay out?? I didn't renew after we got the 543 for DD.......and I got a letter about August time saying that they had like, closed the file or something.

When I called them recently to add on a childcare claim, I had to call 3 times to get them to have the correct info on the system.........the first time despite me saying for 2 kids they put it for 1. then at the wrong cost..........twice..........They also haven't checked with the childcare providers like they say they would.

I do worry as I have worked in local council and O.M.G There were some complete turnips there in charge of things that could change peoples lives............I do not trust that these operatives on the phones at HMRC are error free!! Not for one minute!

 

[emalou90]

As far as I was aware if you didn't renew, like the adverts say "your payments will stop"
And as far as I can remember I still had payments and ZERO letters.

But I'm annoyed at the fact they said they've sent me letters yet actually I've only had this final one. I think someone's messed up along the way. Either not sending letters/sending to the wrong address or the postal service not getting my renewal there for some unknown reason!
I'll be paying for recorded delivery next time.

Roll on Monday lunchtime at work so I can get it all sorted out.
I'm pretty sure based on calculations the £6k is for the previous year, as it says I can be liable for the year reviews payments. At the time I was claiming about that, to help alongside working/childcare on my own. With my partner from Oct 2013 where we decided not to start a joint claim (or any claim) until the new baby was here because of the hassle trying to get things changed (how ironic!!) therefore I cancelled my TC claim via CB changes online.

Venting on here, helps so much, so thanks xxx