I'm am in a bit of position at the moment and am unsure whether they have the right to take back money payed to me over a year ago!
Last week I received an overpayment bill telling me I owe them over £600 and it needs to be paid. My circumstances over that period was:
05 April 07 - 01 July 07 single parent to one child working 30 hours a week, paying all my bills and mortgage on my own. I put in a joint claim on 01 July 07 with my current partner. My tax credits were recalculated and I started receiving payments for my joint claim for the remainder of the year. I did ring them at some point during July because I had received an extra payment of nearly £200 but was assured that my award had been calculated and the payments were correct.
I contacted them when I received this overpayment bill last week and was informed that in July 07 I had received a notice of the overpayment (I didn't) and I apparently received another notice of this last month (again I didn't). He told me he would be sending out the award notice for the 3 month period (April 07 - July 07) as well asa dispute form. I received the dispute form which said I should contact them if I was unsure whether I had been overpaid! So today I rang them again. She was very rude to me saying that she couldn't possibly put it more simply for me and that there was nothing more she could help me with as I didn't understand how it had happened. When I said that there was no need to be rude she said it wasn't her fault that I didn't get it! Anyway she is now sending me the award for that period and the calculations. I did understand somewhat from our conversation that I had received too much money in those first 3 months of the financial year and had I carried on my single claim my money would probably have been reduced in the later months to make up for the higher payments in the first 3 months so consequently I owe them money.
Can I dispute this even though I checked with them at the time and they said it was correct?
Since then myself and my new partner have bought out my ex partner, (meaning our mortgage has gone up considerably), had another child and with the cost of living I am unsure how I'm meant to be able to pay it back, we are just covering our bills as it is.
Sorry to babble on so much, I just don't know where to turn next.
Yes, you can and should dispute your overpayment. If you go to our main website www.TaxCC.org and click on the 'How to Dispute' button - then follow the tried and tested dispute route.
Please also sign the petition, and download, print and put up a couple of posters!
Others will be along soon to give you their advice.
The original 'point & click' interface was a Smith & Wesson !!
Help please!!
Posted - 15/08/2008 : 14:42:01
