help with Child Benefit overpayment

[and.cow]

My youngest son was 16/17 and in full time education (college) so I was still claiming standard child benefit for him. In addition we got the minimum child tax credit payment for hi too.

In Feb of this year he dropped out of college and did nothing much apart fro 3 weeks on an apprenticeship which fell through though 8 months later he is on a council apprenticeship and doing well.

In the Feb I informed the tax credit people that my son was no longer in full time education and I had thought that I had done the same with the child benefit people. In Sept I was going through a bank statement and noticed that CHB was still being paid in to my account so I rang them straight away, explained the circumstances and the date that he had ceased college. I work full time so had not noticed the extra money in my account before then. (I also get expenses so my wage goes up and down by a couple of hundred each month)

I was told that it was going to be passed to the claims investigation dept but have not heard anything since.

Should I be worried, am I about to be done for fraud since it seems I failed to inform them of changes in circumstances or is it enought that I found the error and reported back to the date when things changed?

[rebel11]

Hi and

 

Welcome to CAG

 

The guys will advise shortly, don't jump the gun, these things take time to investigate, they will probably ask you to pay it back, errors occur. You just need to point out that you informed the Tax Credit people and thought you'd also informed the Child Benefit people. So thats good evidence as to your intentions.

 

Until you hear different best not to worry. How much did they over pay by? £588? I can't see anything happening.

[and.cow]

not much it was about 6-7 months I think so around 600-700 pounds I think. I can and will pay back as it is just an accident but worried that I will get charged with something.

[sequenci]

Hi there, welcome to the forums.

 

I really don't think you need to worry about committing fraud. Your situation quite clearly shows that it wasn't your intention to go out and defraud the DWP. At worst you'll be asked to repay the overpayment. In my day job I've helped plenty of people in similar situations and not one of them has been prosecuted.

 

Best wishes,

 

Seq.

[rebel11]

Hi and

 

Some of the more experienced guys will respond, but I personally think the figure involved needs to be a lot higher. I'm not sure of they would apply any penalties or

interest to that sum.

[jack1966]

£700 child benefit is a lot of money and a lot of weeks, if you have so much extra goning into your account that you dont even notice how much you have, there are flaws in your defence.

 

hope things work out

[Dotty50]

Hi and.cow

 

I recently called the child benefits office to check that my son no longer qualified and he didn't (higher education course doesn't count)

 

However, the person that I spoke to asked if I was in receipt of tax credits (I received the minimum amount) and he advised that he would pass the change of circumstances to the relevant department. If it works one way, then why not the other?

 

If it's 6 months child benefit (24 weeks) it should be £487.20, so have you miscalculated somewhere?

[sequenci]

£700 child benefit is a lot of money and a lot of weeks, if you have so much extra goning into your account that you dont even notice how much you have, there are flaws in your defence.

 

hope things work out

 

I really don't they will prosecute over such a small amount. I'll eat my hat if they do, and the entire collection of winter hats currently being sold by Debenhams.

[blowing bubbles]

Am I bmisreading something here, you say child benefit - i was entitled to that each week until my daughter's 19th birthday. x