Tax Credits Award under review

[Bev250264]

I've just received a letter from HMRC regarding my tax credit award. It says that the information I've given is not the same as the information they currently hold.

 

When I checked, it says on the award notice that I am in receipt of Higher Rate Care component when in fact I get Higher Rate Mobility (chronic severe RA). Because nothing has changed and because I wanted to get it done as I kept forgetting, I didn't check it and just filled in the figures and signed it - stupidly I know.

 

Anyway, they're now investigating us and I'm panicking about what they will do. OH says not to worry and he'll deal with them on Monday. His argument is that we've never said we got HR Care , only HR Mobility so it's their fault not ours but I think they're more likely to say, quite rightly in hindsight, that I should have checked it before I sent it. So what are they likely to do?

 

The other thing that's strange is that OH only posted the return two days ago but the letter from them is dated 28th June. It says we made a claim on 6th April but we didn't - or is that just administrative?

 

As usual these things happen on a Friday afternoon so I've got to stew all weekend.

 

Any advice would be gratefully received

[hensteeth]

 

When I checked, it says on the award notice that I am in receipt of Higher Rate Care component when in fact I get Higher Rate Mobility (chronic severe RA). Because nothing has changed and because I wanted to get it done as I kept forgetting, I didn't check it and just filled in the figures and signed it - stupidly I know.

 

Anyway, they're now investigating us and I'm panicking about what they will do. OH says not to worry and he'll deal with them on Monday. His argument is that we've never said we got HR Care , only HR Mobility so it's their fault not ours but I think they're more likely to say, quite rightly in hindsight, that I should have checked it before I sent it.

 

ESC19 is likely to change in that there can never be any excuse for not repaying a tax debt, even if it was down to HMRC.

 

The taxpayer has a duty to check and ensure that the award is correct as is the amount which is paid. There have been far too many cases(viz HMRC) where people have argued that they don't owe it because they 'thought & believed' the figures to be correct.

 

Personally I don't agree with the proposed change, as not everyone is able to understand the intricate laws appertaining to UK Taxation. I've been trained in it, qualified in it, worked with it for over 40 years and I still don't understand half of it!!! God help those who only know a fraction of what I know!!!

[Nystagmite]

It says we made a claim on 6th April but we didn't - or is that just administrative?

 

It might be because every year on April 6th, (or around that date) the tax years changes and anyone on benefits, their benefits rise slightly.

[Bev250264]

Oh well, I'll just have to hold my hands up on Monday and say it was my error for not checking it properly. Presumably, there's no additional allowance for mobility like there is for care which is why they've queried it as I'm assuming if it was the same for both components it wouldn't have made a difference.

 

It's daft because there have been many times in the past (when things have been particularly bad) when I've been advised to apply for care and I've refused to do it - a pride thing.

 

Oh well

[hensteeth]

Oh well, I'll just have to hold my hands up on Monday and say it was my error for not checking it properly. Presumably, there's no additional allowance for mobility like there is for care which is why they've queried it as I'm assuming if it was the same for both components it wouldn't have made a difference.

 

It's daft because there have been many times in the past (when things have been particularly bad) when I've been advised to apply for care and I've refused to do it - a pride thing.

 

 

 

Oh well

 

 

Don't worry, many of us have done the same thing in the past.

 

Me? Just couldn't be bothered to complete the DLA review in 04 due to illness - lost HRC and HRM was reduced to LRM! I only got round to applying for a change of circumstances (well there wasn't one really) in 2010.

Oh and the Industrial Injury benefit I had was due to renewal also in 2004 - went for the medical and was told I was fully fit with no injury. Didn't get round to appealing it for the same reason as the DLA. Decided in 2011 to apply for a change or circumstances, re-awarded 40%. Applied for an any reason review of the 2004 decision and won that using evidence that I had sitting at home going back to 2004!

Trouble was they sent me a letter confirming that I was entitled to 40% from March 2004 until March 2014, but they wouldn't make any back payment earlier than 2011.

 

that one cost me just under £20,000 in lost benefits alone over the previous 7 years!!

 

We are not always able to get on top of everything when we should.

[Nystagmite]

Oh well, I'll just have to hold my hands up on Monday and say it was my error for not checking it properly. Presumably, there's no additional allowance for mobility like there is for care which is why they've queried it as I'm assuming if it was the same for both components it wouldn't have made a difference. l

 

Whatever rate of DLA you get, you'll get a disability premium. If you receive HRC, you get a severe disability premium on top of the disability premium.

[Bev250264]

So presumably then, it's that bit they're querying. Just going through the review now, it's so confusing. There's bits added on for this and bits deducted for that. Just hope they're not too hard on us - it was a genuine mistake