Hi I can't offer professional advice - but only my experience as a layman. I disclosed an error I'd made in Nov 2010. They also told me that it would take 12 weeks to correct as it would go through head office. I still haven't heard anything.However, the change to the current tax year happened within about 4 weeks. I can empathise with the paranoid thoughts about getting done for fraud years later. I worry that the finer details of the disclosure/misunderstanding will get misconstrued as fraud after such a long time. After months (nearly 2 years) of paranoia and reading through forums endlessly, I get the impression that making a change to a finalised tax year is a long drawn out affair. I think changes to current tax years are relatively easy for the tax credit office to update on their system. I imagine there has been no change to the current tax year for you, because the money you receive in the current tax year depends on the previous 'finalised' tax year's income. I've a feeling it might be a discrepancy thing that the tax credit computer system just won't compute. I've read a couple of posts now relating to overpayments from years ago being amended, and each of them happened about 5-6 years later. The tax credit manual says that their deadline for amending a tax year is 5 years following the end of the tax year to which the error relates. I think possibly that they might just be prioritising detecting current errors in the system due to their limited resources. Maybe they see the overpayments that we will be paying back as 'already in the bank'. I know it's not great when you have ongoing worry about it - it'd be nice to know what was happening wouldn't it? I found this post interesting: http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forum-archive/index4c65.html I think it's a forum for advisors (not the general public). If you read the post by 'bensup' it suggests that 'paying them back' is definitely not a straight forward procedure. It's so frustrating. Good luck with it. Please keep us updated. I will let you know if I hear anything.

HI do you have to send in receipts, p60s etc... or just confirm amounts over the phone? Hope things work out for you

Does anyone know how exactly you know when the enquiry is finalised? Do they send you a letter/say this over the phone? Or can you assume once repayment is sorted - that the enquiry is also sorted? Reading some of the posts recently, it seems they are not saying anything either way.

I just wondered - how much is your overpayment treadingwater?? xxxx

Hi Salli, Have they asked for bank statements, tenancy agreements, p60s? etc. to be sent to them? Unfortunately, it seems it counts for a lot where your post goes - regardless of where you actually live. They contradict themselves in a way, as you are allowed to have a 'care of address' for tax credits and self assessment. So for example, if you choose a care of address at another house, (say, because you might be in a shared flat and you don't want others you don't trust, to have access to your post) it seems you would be declaring you actually live at the alternative postal address. But I expect they'll probably look into it in more detail than that. I.e: Where do your ex-partner's bank statements etc go? Do you have single occupancy council tax? Let us know how you get on.

Hi, I'm really worried. I just changed my tax credits from single to joint, since prior to this thought I could be considered single. I've ended the claim. However on the annual declaration, I can't put that I'm single... but my boyfriend won't want to put his details on. It hasn't arrived yet.... when do they arrive roughly? As I understand it, if you don't complete the annual declaration - the award is annulled and you have to pay back the credits... which I already have. Could I just have it annulled rather than do the declaration?

But if they've sent insuchamess a letter, rather than just arrested her... does this not suggest they are prepared to go down the civil recovery route? Is that how it happens when they want to prosecute, they send a letter first asking for details, then gather their evidence, then get the police involved? What happens?

Hi, Also, is it true that if you give a voluntary partial disclosure umprompted, but then they find another mistake, they treat the whole lot as unprompted? Thanks

Hi Erika, When you say 'a full disclosure before tax credit complete a review or compliance check has led to no more than overpayment recovery and civil penalty' do you mean give a full disclosure prior to any compliance letter or phone call. Or do you mean, a full disclosure once they get in touch and start running checks. Thanks.

Hi James, When you say 'no decision can be made', do you mean the decision to charge a penalty, or prosecute... or are you just referring to making a decision about the actual amount to be paid back.

Hi MickeyJane, I hope it all works out ok for you. That's an awful long time to have it hanging over you.... Does anyone know - is it normal for tax credit compliance issues to drag on for so long? 2 years seems mad to me.

HI JL12345, I'm very sorry to hear about about your situation. These things are hard enough to go through with on there own, never mind if you've been through a major tragedy too. Someone more experienced than me will reply to your post soon, but having read about a lot of similar situations on this forum, I would personally guess that £800 would be too a low amount for them to prosecute you over. They take cost effectiveness into account when taking a view to prosecute. Also, since you are making a full disclosure (the letter you've written), this also helps to keep it as a civil investigation. If it's a criminal investigation, you don't get a letter, they just arrest you. However, since you received a letter - it seems it is being dealt with by compliance, although in some cases, this can escalate into a criminal investigation. But as I said already, £800 is a relatively low amount and your mistake does seem an understandable one. I only know what I've read on here, I'm not qualified to give professional advice.... but I really think things may not be as black as you think. I really hope you get some rest from worrying, and it's all sorted soon for you.