tax credits and need to ring them for my childcare costs to be checked - ** RESOLVED **

[Terrifieddebt]

Absolutely terrified

 

ive received a letter saying I’ve not made any changes to tax credits and need to ring them for my childcare costs to be checked and if I don’t ring then they will arrange a telephone interview.

 

the problem is my kids haven’t been attending childcare and also claim is single when it should be joint. I’m in such a mess and so scared I don’t know what to do. 
 

im going to ring them but am I going to end up with a criminal record and losing everything? 

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

Please don't be terrified.   Pour yourself a cup of tea and have a read around our HMRC forum. You aren't alone by any means if you look at other threads.

 

I doubt if you'll end up with a criminal record and prison is almost impossible. As you say, you need to ring them and they're normally pretty understanding. Better for you to ring them than for them to find out some other way.

 

As far as I can know, nobody who's posted here has ended up in serious trouble. Everyone has started off feeling like you do and come back to say there's a resolution they're happy with.

 

Please read some more threads and then as us questions about things you aren't sure about.

 

Best, HB

[unclebulgaria67]

Suggest you advise of your changes in circumstances and apologise for not advising them earlier.

 

Most likely they will  treat this an over-payment and they could apply an additional amount on top as an administrative penalty.  So you will end up owing a debt, for which you will have to enter into a repayment arrangement with them.

 

But this is better than being taken to Court.   

 

These situations are like water off a ducks back to HMRC/DWP, as they come across them on a daily basis.  People forget to advise of any change in circumstances or don't get around to it, because they have other problems going on in their lifes.

[Terrifieddebt]

It says it’s because I’ve not changed anything for over a year that they need to talk to me. 
 

they’ve not asked for any evidence just that I need to ring them to speak to them and advise them of my situation. 

do they normally take to court? 

 

[honeybee13]

No they don't take it to court.

 

As I said, read other people's threads here, especially the ones marked RESOLVED or similar, you'll see how other people felt much better after they rang HMRC and how their problems were sorted out.

 

The longer you leave this, the worse you'll feel, sadly, so be brave and we'll be proud of you.

 

HB

[unclebulgaria67]

No, Court is rare and normally only for people who have set out to deceive.

 

If they took everyone to Court who was incompetent, they would be in Court every day for hours !

[Terrifieddebt]

Do they normally not ask for evidence and just get you to ring? I’m so scared 

[honeybee13]

They just seem to want an update on your circumstances. Have you read other threads with positive outcomes here? None of the team have been through this but other members have.

 

Please stop beating yourself up and read some other threads.

 

HB

[dx100uk]

hey calm down

better to read here, you've all w/end.

 

there are numerous cases here , it's not always as bad as your read by using google!!.

 

use our search here top right and get yourself informed, not frightened of them.

 

dx

 

[Terrifieddebt]

It says once they receive all the information they’ll be able to tell me what happens next and that if I don’t contact them they will ring. It’s looking at April 2019 onwards. 
 

ive looked online and all I find is about benefit fraud and making examples. There are cases on here also but none of the same thing and mine is not only childcare but the single claim too. 
 

I’m scared it’ll go to court and I’ll end up with a criminal record or even worse going to prison. 
 

my other half has no idea as we haven’t been in a solid relationship 

 

Dx I have had a read and they seem to be understanding, I’ve seen a few on other sites that had ended in court etc do you know what I should expect? 

[dx100uk]

you most certainly will NOT end up in prison nor most probably not get any record at all.

 

it's not often we see things end up in court as long as you deal with it and not go head in sand. that's probably more's the reason why you read elsewhere about court.

 

any idea what you might be looking at figure wise?

 

 

 

[Terrifieddebt]

Do things like this normally go to court. I have found a few instances and it’s around £10000 

[honeybee13]

Hello again.

 

We keep trying to tell you that court hardly ever happens.

 

Could you post up links to the instances you've found please? Then we can tell if they relate to your circumstances.

 

HB

[Terrifieddebt]

Hi 

 

I’ve found this on this group 

 

https://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/18110143.union-reps-29k-benefit-cheat-shame/

 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-scotland-tayside-central-39502276

 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mums-31000-benefit-fraud-exposed-21016504.amp
 

there’s quite a few posts that don’t have outcomes. 
 

im so worried and in such a mess. I don’t know how to tell my other half and think he will leave. I have a 15 week old newborn too. 

[honeybee13]

Those threads are old though, aren't they?

 

HB

[Terrifieddebt]

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/fife/823954/fife-woman-jailed-for-benefits-[problem]-ordered-to-pay-back-47k/amp/

[honeybee13]

TD. You're not going to lose everything. Why do you think that lady's situation is similar to yours?

 

Please believe me, we've seen loads of people in your situtation and they've all thought the worst. We need you to slow down and read some of the threads on CAG, not newspaper articles that don't relate to your situation.

 

HB

[Terrifieddebt]

I think my partner will leave when he finds out, if he does and the shame will mean my family will stop talking to me but I know I should have come clean and I’m not going to bore you with my sob stories.

 

i think it’s because not only do I have the childcare I also have the it should have been a joint claim element. 
 

looking at the at the threads there’s only a few that’s updated the circumstance and how it was resolved. I also notice how mine just says to ring as opposed to send evidence 

 

what’s best things to search? 
 

I have looked on netmums but they are a lot of dwp jsa or housing benefit things 

[dx100uk]

wouldn't bother with net mums either to be frank

stop looking for bad stuff.

there are numerous threads here where even +£10k debt has been simply resolved.

it's really nothing to stress about ..

[Terrifieddebt]

Do they normally not ask for evidence and just get you to ring? I’ve never known that or is it an interview under caution? 
 

shall I just be open with everything and tell them about my partner? 
 

do you think it’s best preparing family and my partner in case it does go the opposite way? 
 

they do still have their places at the childminder but I’m on maternity and was on long term sick also due to issues in my pregnancy. 
 

im just really not sure what to expect and so scared and I can’t do anything until Monday. I’m trying to pretend everything’s ok with my family and concentrate on my 15 week old but I just want to escape and get away from it all. 
 

I know it’s my own doing but sometimes life gets in the way 

[unclebulgaria67]

What happens is that if they receive a phone call admitting to an oversight in not advising of a change, is that if they receive all information required to recalculate entitlement, they will calculate what is owed.  They may add a admin penalty on top of the over-payment, to reflect that a change in circumstances was not advised within reasonable time.

 

IF someone delays in making contact and compliance then get involved, this is where you then have to go to a formal interview.  What they are then looking at is whether the behaviour is deliberately trying to gain, by knowingly withholding information or by giving false information. It is then possible that they would not be as forgiving and the admin penalty may increase, as they have incurred additional costs in requiring a compliance interview.

 

When you see people being taken to Court for benefit fraud, this is normally where the people have set out to deliberately gain by deception.  From what I have seen, the vast majority of cases are dealt with a over-payment cases, with admin penalty applied.  Government then obtain the over-payment back through debt repayments.

[Terrifieddebt]

 

my claim was definitely legitimate at the start then this past year it’s been on and off with the relationship and very rare with the childcare element. 

the letter says it’s to check if my claim is right and for me to ring up to discuss it, then they’ll make a decision. It’s from a chris howarth. Is this a standard letter? 
 

Thank you for your response, I’ve almost finished reading through the forum posts of others. 
 

im just extremely panicked and worried and suppose I’m still a little hopeful that I can keep it quiet from family and my partner so I don’t lose them and my kids, although I feel at the moment I deserve to and they’d be better off without me. 

 

[unclebulgaria67]

Yes it is a standard letter, where you have not been in touch with them for awhile.

 

If it were say a suspicion reported or picked up from data, you would be straight into a compliance process.  

[Terrifieddebt]

I’ve tried uploading a pic of the letter but it won’t allow it.

 

I’ve not told my partner yet.

I’m going to ring first thing Monday.

Tomorrow is our Xmas day with my mum and I don’t know how I’m going to keep it together 

 

i suppose whatever is going to be it’s going to be I just really hope they don’t want to make an example of me. 

 

they are wanting info from April 2019, shall I tell them everything? 
 

I thought it was a compliance letter investigating

 

thank you for your help 

[dx100uk]

hey seriously stop fretting about it.

 

it's no big deal really.

 

simply be honest and tell them what they want to know.

they don't make 'examples' of anyone bar career criminal gangs .