Cinnamon Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I have had no end of problems with the Tax credits people & wondered if anyone else had too? We own a ltd company, so as well as the profit the company makes we also have a weekly wage that we draw - dividends. This has been the case since Tax credits started in 2003/2004. About 6 weeks ago I phoned in with this years figures, which were very similar to all the previous years, & thought nothing more of it.The award came, the figures I told them were correct on the paperwork & all was fine. Then they started sending me cheques - about £600 in total over 2 months I phoned, re checked the figures they had & was told that the money was what I was entitled to. Great, I thought, & stashed it into our savings account Then today I got 2 cards, one for myself one for Hubby, giving us free prescriptions Never had those before - & well, we are quite comfortably off, so I knew something was very wrong. So, I phoned again & found out that they had failed to add the dividends to 2007/2008 figures - a mistake of a very,very large amount! So despite my phone calls & the fact that our financial circs haven't changed they made a mega mistake & have overpaid us by £600 We now are waiting for the overpayment letter, which we need to dispute as it was their mistake & not ours. As I said to the chap on the phone, we could have merrilry collected these cheques all year! WHAT A BUNCH OF MUPPETS!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 You probably deserve the money, if they're incapable of managing it No help though sorry, just that it often ends up in their favour no matter who owes the tax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemcg Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I'm often baffled at the way they calculate things too. A couple of years ago, when I went from being off sick to not working for a while they paid over a thousand pounds into my bank account. I couldn't decide whether to query it or spend it when they sent me a letter, which gave a brief explanation that I didn't understand, but as they had confirmed it in writing I kept it! This year my salary, child care costs etc. are exactly the same as last year but they've just notified me that my monthly payment is £150 less! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 It's quite worrying Sarah, and good that you had the insight to question it. I was self employed for about 10 years, up until last year, and I had many issues that I questioned. I dreaded the day when they informed me I owned them hundreds of pounds! I've still got to go and sort out my tax at work now, as I'm sure I'm on the wrong code Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 1, 2007 Author Share Posted August 1, 2007 I am just glad I decided to put it into the account that we don't touch rather than let it be absorbed into the houshold account. It didn't seem right, & I have now decided that ANY money I get from them is being saved just in case they decide they want it back They have told us that if we dispute it then they may well write it off as it was their mistake & not ours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starboyhull Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Hi Sarah, slightly off topic, but why do you have to tell them about you limited company and the money it makes? Is it because you are not paid PAYE and by dividends? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I hope that you get to keep it Sarah - perhaps you could divide it between the girls and put it into savings accounts for them? I had a bit of a run in with them (not their fault this time) a couple of years back.. for years after we split up, my ex didn't get round to changing his address on all his correspondence, despite me telling him to Anyway, the tax office picked up that he was still 'registered' at my address and that I was claiming as a single parent, so I was subject to a full investigation. I had to take a whole day of work because they wanted to go through everything, and even checked the bathroom for signs of a man in residence!!! Needless to say, I gave him a blasting They were very apologetic when they realised what was going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I sent some stuff to my ex recently as a forward and wrote on the envelope last one I will forward and I have had none since It was only five years since he was asked to go I think the Tax Credits are a disaster and I suspect they will end up going the same was as the CSI eventually and be linked to the tax system as they already have your information on file why they need you to keep sending it in again is nonsense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I'm not even going to go there. My rant may take too long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Good news you may get to keep it Sarah Bronze, I do worry about posting sometimes as I do often go off on one but doesn't usually stop me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I sent some stuff to my ex recently as a forward and wrote on the envelope last one I will forward and I have had none since It was only five years since he was asked to go I did something similar; I explained what I had been through - which he probably enjoyed - then told him that the tax office would be after him for giving false details.. I never got any more of his mail again either... funny that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Sarah, I sympathise. The Tax Credits system is ghastly and stupid and I hate it!! You were very wise to keep hold of the money. My DH was unemployed for 15 months. During most of that time we kept contacting them about more money and were just told that we weren't eligible because of how much he had earned the year before. So when we needed it, we weren't allowed to have it. Then DH went back to work and the Tax Credits started pouring in. Again we rang them (and it takes days to get through!) several times and they just said we were entitled to the money because in the previous year DH earned very little. After a year out of work we still had plenty of places to use the money, so we did! Then we got a letter saying they had overpaid us by £6000 and they would be taking it back by not paying us anything. Well I was relieved that they wouldn't be paying us anything, but I am not sure what will happen. I think we would normally be eligible for about £250 a year (it's a bit hazy now) which would mean 24 years of paying it back. I don't feel it was our fault because we wrote and rang several times and were always assured that the system was correct. But I'm not sure what will happen in the future! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Umm, an interesting thread, thanks We've never qualified for tax credits as hubby earns too much, but every year we get a large document which goes on for about pages explaining the system, and concludes that we have been awarded £0.00 That said hubby is "leaving " me next year, and I will be a single parent with 2 children to support, and earning a fairly small, part time salary. Certainly not enough to pay rent/ mortgage, bills, food, clothing and run a car out of . I won't be in a position to look for another job or extra hours as my employers know my intentions to follow him after Seb's exams. Hubby will be earning substantially less because his salary will be paid in NZ dollars (of course) and they really don't go very far when compared with the cost of living here, so him sending me great chunks of his salary really won't make that much difference. I had wondered about telling the tax credit people that he'd left me and seeing if I could get a little help from them (I've never in my life claimed any kind of benefit- except child benefit of course, that everyone gets automatically). But from reading this thread that seems like a duff idea as I won't get anything when I really need it, and by the time they start payng out I'll be long gone Oh, well, we'll survive somehow, although the savings are getting seriously depleted already with the costs involved with emigrating. Scary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popcorn Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Come and move in here Kate. We can start our own commune. We're totally skint..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 1, 2007 Author Share Posted August 1, 2007 Umm, an interesting thread, thanks We've never qualified for tax credits as hubby earns too much, but every year we get a large document which goes on for about pages explaining the system, and concludes that we have been awarded £0.00 That was the thing that rang alarm bells for me - we have never qualified for an award before either, or if we have it was of a very small amount Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I've had no end of trouble with this shower. When I first had DS I put in my claim explaining that I was not working but would be starting a job in September. They don't take future events into account so I told them again in September - took them 6 months to reduce the payments so got next to nothing for the next year whilst they took back overpayment. Threw hubby out last May - told them. He had to confirm so I gave them his brothers address (he was stopping with him mum who claims benefits - if he affected her benefits she wouldn't have him - fair enough he contributes nothing except debts to a household). Form arrived at bro's and was sent back prompty. My new claim started as a single Mum but they carried on paying me the old claim. When I phoned I was told - they would want the money back "when they got round to stopping the old claim". I questioned the logic of paying me with the same NATIONAL INSURANCE number twice - their system should prevent this automatically to prevent fraud. It doesn't. I wonder how many fraudulent claims there are? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylucan Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Last year they told us that they had overpaid us and they would be deducting the money back over the 2006/2007 season, How they managed to over pay us i really dont no as we didnt get alot then!!!, I am still waiting this years one and see what happens then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I'm afraid they really are incompetent, I thought it was just me until I read all your stories! When I finished work to have DSs 2 and 3, then went self employed I must have told them of all the changes to my employed status, earnings level, number of children etc. at least 6 times. Every time I told them they sent me AND husband duplicate copies of the (supposedly) revised paperwork, in seperate envelopes with a big thick advisory leaflet in each envelope. And because the information spanned 2 tax years, every time we rang them to correct an error we got 4 big thick envelopes back in the post - overall we ended up with 24 envelopes and 24 copies of their advisory leaflet! NOW you know where your money goes!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 OH yes - I'd forgotton about all the envelopes. A couple of years ago I ended up with 28 of their envelopes - all with the big old booklet in. Poor trees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 It fair makes you want to scream, doesn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Hi everyone! What wally's they are eh? I have my own personal feelings towards tax credits & the people who are in charge of awarding them, but we won't go there! I used to work 15 hours as an administrator for a plumbers merchants. I couldn't claim any income support ( even tho under the 16 hour allowance). I tried online with the tax credit people and it came up with the grand total of owing me............ZILCH! grrrrrrrr All this because I am married and have no children to support. How did they expect me to run my car, to get to work etc? Did they think that my hubby had a bottomless pit of money & that by the time we've paid the mortgage, the bills, bought food - there would be loads left? Hmmmm don't agree with a lot of things this country does! Oh & don't even get me started on all the different Nationalitites I find round my town nowadays that get evrything for free. Oh it does annoy me! Sorry if I've ranted a bit too much - but forums are for expressing opinions - right??? Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah 2 Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I'm a bit worried about receiving our new tax credit reward. Apparently we owe them money too. I remember watching a programme were they got maths experts to try and work out how they calculate tax credits. They couldn't even work out how it was down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I think it's random I send them in the same information each year, and get a different amount each year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I remember watching a programme were they got maths experts to try and work out how they calculate tax credits. They couldn't even work out how it was down. I would LOVE to know how they even began to work out how to do the calculations! I get tax credits for being on a low wage, but a colleague with 2 children, gets more in tax credits than I earn The trouble is, once you are on their books, you can't get off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 The worrying fact is that I'd probably be better off not working Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
