6 year overclaim when not a single parent

[stairs1234]

Can someone give me some advice please my partner has been claiming single parent for over 6 years when she shouldn't off I found out the other week I was off on my day off and got back from the school run and there was mail from a company called Concentrix I didn't open it as it was addressed to my partner but when my partner opened the letter she broke down and confused to me everything.

 

She been claiming single parent for 6+ years and also been claiming housing benefit and Council Tax for 4 years.

We were in debt for years but thought we were getting through the bad years but know this has happened I feel very sick and stressed.

 

I had no idea as I work long hours I just gave her the money to sort the bills out. I am not leaving her to sort it out herself for the sake of our 3 kids but I've told her she needed to tell them everything The letter from Concentrix said they believed someone was living with her due to records from April until October this year so she rung them up straight away and told them my partner lives with me and they said could you still send the paperwork we require bank statement water bill Gas and electric bill which she sent and has already been returned that was 3 weeks ago with a note saying thank you for send the documents and we will be intouch soon

 

She has told the council I live with her and already had a bill for £1780 which family has paid for us so we aren't in any rent arrears

 

My partner has recieved a letter from HMRC saying she been paid overpayment of £6408 and will be intouch soon

 

My partner has spoken to CAB and said until she receives a letter from Concentrix there nothing that can be done.

 

I am not good at waiting specially if they take action eg court as i think she could go prison and if that happens I won't be able to work so won't know how to pay bills and look after 3 kids on my own can someone give me advice what to do !!

 

Will they only go back until April ?

How long does it noreally take Concentrix to reply ?

Will they inform the Council to investigate as well or do they work as one ?

 

Please don't judge me as I've never claimed tax credits before and don't understand how it all works

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG. I've started a new thread for you so you can have advice that's specific to your own situation and not someone else's.

 

We're not here to judge, don't worry about that.

 

Others will be along later to comment and they may know more than I do. I think telling the whole truth is the best thing. Prison is a rare event, I don't think you should worry about that. It's more likely that you will have to repay the overpayment, possibly by a deduction from benefits,although there could be a penalty on top. Time will tell.

 

My best, HB

[stairs1234]

Thank you she has told them I'm here and it was her who made them stop the claim straight away which they did.

 

I've taken over sorting the bills and we are on a budget now which is working great

 

The only thing on my mind is what's going to happen if I knew what was going to happen I could get things sorted

 

When I spoke to CAB they said they will help her deal with this I am in a union at work should I tell them or just wait until she gets the letter as I don't want the whole world to know what's happening at the moment !!

 

I've got my partner in to see the doctor next week as she is so stressed as she suffer from depression when I meet her.

[id6052]

has your partner told the council and HMRC the correct date now?

 

if she has told them the correct date, it would reduce risk of a heavier penalty

 

if she told them you moved in during this year and they later discover you have been there several years, it would increase the risk of prosecution

[id6052]

you may be able to get legal advice/representation through your union

[stairs1234]

She has told them but they have said we only want information from April until October which she has sent and it was back within a week that was 3 weeks ago does anybody now how long this letter will take from Concentrix to arrive to say what's going on

[stairs1234]

I will have to check as its not me who needs the legal advice about the tax credits as I've not claimed it but will need to speak to someone if she taken to court and faces prison as I will not be able to work so will need to find out what il be able to claim for me and the kids if I can't work

[Shoelover]

She is highly unlikely to go to prison fir that amount of money- especially as you have kids. In saying that I'm assuming she has never been in court before & doesn't have a criminal record?

[stairs1234]

No she never been in trouble before she is willing to come clean on everything as long as she stays with the kids but she been reading newspaper reports of people doing the same thing by looking on google but they are tried lying

[id6052]

She has told the council I live with her and already had a bill for £1780 which family has paid for us so we aren't in any rent arrears

 

My partner has recieved a letter from HMRC saying she been paid overpayment of £6408 and will be intouch soon

 

 

Are these the full debts/overpayments for last 6 years?

[id6052]

it is difficult to compare your situation to others, as the cases where no further action is taken are not publicised - the only cases you are likely to find on google are the cases that have been prosecuted and made it into the papers

[stairs1234]

No these are only from April to October if they go back 6+ I'm talking a lot of money

[stairs1234]

I think it could go along way and could even end up in a prison sentence but won't know until we get the letter Concentrix

[Shoelover]

I doubt very much she will go to prison. I have worked in fraud for over 20 years & have seen very few people go to prison.

[id6052]

if you are talking about £8k over 6 months, it does sound like it could be quite substantial total, however prison sentences are actually very rare, as it is rarely in anybody's interest

 

i would definitely see if you can get legal advice/assistance through your TU - mine offers it to partners/family members to a degree - go through region if you do not want local reps to know

[stairs1234]

I am going to wait for the letter and then speak to my Union but will go through my full time union rep who doesn't work with me

[stairs1234]

I doubt very much she will go to prison. I have worked in fraud for over 20 years & have seen very few people go to prison.

 

How long can a investigation last but I'm not sure if it's under investigation yet as it just saying we have information that there someone else living at your address the only thing I can think of is my bank account car insurance and driving licence

 

Do u know what happens in a investigation for tax credits will she be asked to attend a interview ?

Edited November 22, 2015 by stairs1234

[stairs1234]

if you are talking about £8k over 6 months, it does sound like it could be quite substantial total, however prison sentences are actually very rare, as it is rarely in anybody's interest

 

i would definitely see if you can get legal advice/assistance through your TU - mine offers it to partners/family members to a degree - go through region if you do not want local reps to know[/quote

 

We have paid back council money up to April so at the moment it's the tax credit money which they have replied to us saying there a overpayment which they will reply to us in due course she has said to them she will answer any questions they ask her but I've told her she will have to speak to legal people before she talks to them and CAB have also said you don't speak to them on your own

[Shoelover]

How long can a investigation last but I'm not sure if it's under investigation yet as it just saying we have information that there someone else living at your address the only thing I can think of is my bank account car insurance and driving licence

 

Do u know what happens in a investigation for tax credits will she be asked to attend a interview ?

 

Every investigation differs - depends how complicated it is.

As for an interview, only if it is being dealt with as a criminal case. It sounds as if it's just civil at the moment but they could refer it to a criminal investigator.

[stairs1234]

Every investigation differs - depends how complicated it is.

As for an interview, only if it is being dealt with as a criminal case. It sounds as if it's just civil at the moment but they could refer it to a criminal investigator.

 

Will they inform her that or just send a letter asking her to attend a interview and will they also ask me to attend a interview

[martin2006]

once they have concluded their part of the investigation, you will probably be asked to attend an IUC (Interview Under caution), if you are, just be honest with them, it will probably end with you paying back the overpayment through future tax credits.

 

unless we were talking serious fraud in 10's of thousands of pounds theres no chance they will be looking for imprisonment, it will be dealt with internally and doubt it will go to court

[martin2006]

oh and one more thing, if she is asked to attend an IUC she can have representation so get onto your union rep to see if they would be able to attend with her

[stairs1234]

once they have concluded their part of the investigation, you will probably be asked to attend an IUC (Interview Under caution), if you are, just be honest with them, it will probably end with you paying back the overpayment through future tax credits.

 

unless we were talking serious fraud in 10's of thousands of pounds theres no chance they will be looking for imprisonment, it will be dealt with internally and doubt it will go to court

 

At the moment they said on the letter it was April until October 2015 but if they do go back longer then u are talking thousands

[stairs1234]

oh and one more thing, if she is asked to attend an IUC she can have representation so get onto your union rep to see if they would be able to attend with her

 

She has spoken to the CAB who said they will attend with her if she wants them too

[stairs1234]

once they have concluded their part of the investigation, you will probably be asked to attend an IUC (Interview Under caution), if you are, just be honest with them, it will probably end with you paying back the overpayment through future tax credits.

 

unless we were talking serious fraud in 10's of thousands of pounds theres no chance they will be looking for imprisonment, it will be dealt with internally and doubt it will go to court

 

 

I know I won't be covering anything up for her as it will look as if I've been on it with her from the start but as I said earlier the first I knew about all of this was the day she got the letter from Concentrix