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? 

[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? 

 

[Terrifieddebt]

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

[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? 

[Terrifieddebt]

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

[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. 

[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/

[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 

[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 

[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. 

 

[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 

[Terrifieddebt]

Ok I will do, shall I tell them my claim needs to be amended to a joint one or do it online? 
 

do you know what they will ask? From all the forums I’ve seen they normally ask for you to send in documents or for something specific not to ring 

 

Do you think they will want to start criminal proceedings? 

Edited December 28, 2019 by Terrifieddebt

[Terrifieddebt]

Ok thank you for everything, I’ll ring Monday and update the thread with what happens. I literally have no money for them to take back and trying to sort what feels like a mountain of debts as it is. Have a nice weekend 

[Terrifieddebt]

I Lnow I will with the kids not going to the childminder and also it being a single claim when it should be a joint I don’t know what way to tell them about that also.

 

i don’t know whether to let my partner know but I know he will walk

[Terrifieddebt]

I literally have had no sleep because I’m so worried about what the outcome will be and wish I’d not been so stupid. 
 

I keep reading different forums and there’s a few that have resulted in court but most are overpayments. Do you know of any? The debt is going to be about 10k with hmrc so it’s a lot of money plus I already have an overpayment with them from years ago. 
 

I seriously don’t know what to do. I agree I should tell people but I’m so afraid he will leave. I can’t eat and can’t sleep

[Terrifieddebt]

@honeybee13That’s a good idea. I feel terrible hiding it but I am scared that it’s not just going to be an overpayment. I have been looking online and a lot seem as though the claims had denied stuff or tried falsifying things. Should I amend my claim to joint now online or just wait to talk to them hopefully tomorrow ( I’m not sure on Xmas opening). 
 

@dx100ukthat is my problem of agreeing to repayments I can’t afford. 

 

dx are you confident when you are saying it won’t be criminal proceedings? 
 

@unclebulgaria67
when you said it’s not a compliance check, why do they send them? Is it a tip off? 
 

at the moment I can’t even function.

[Terrifieddebt]

I have tried uploading the letter for a bit of confirmation but I’m unable to

[Terrifieddebt]

Tax .pdf

 

I’ve also got the element that I’m going to tell them it should be a joint claim instead of a single.

I’m so worried.

I’m not sure what to expect and really hope they aren’t criminal proceedings.

Are you confident it won’t be? 

[Terrifieddebt]

Thank you. I’m really hoping I’m not the one that it is. The more I’ve looked I think a lot of the time it’s when people have continued to lie or had dwp involved.

 

did the letter just look generic? It confuses me as they’ve not asked me to send anything as of yet, just ring. 
 

will they already know? 

[Terrifieddebt]

Thank you so much that’s put my mind at ease.

 

tomtom would they have already invited me for an interview under caution? I just found it strange how they’ve just asked me to ring and if not then they’ll arrange an interview

Shall I confess to everything including that it needs to be joint on the phone also? 
 

thanks again 

[Terrifieddebt]

Hi 

 

do you know if the interview would then be criminal proceedings?

 

I will be open and honest with everything and give them as much information as possible as would rather have the debt to pay back than completely have my life ruined and have it hanging over my head. 
 

we won’t be making a joint claim and he is unaware of any of this but I have my reasons due to him leaving and coming back etc. 
 

If it was an iuc are the outcomes harsher! 

 

I’ll be fully honest with them.

 

That is the only letter I have received from them so would you say it is like a get of jail free card and just an invitation for me to own up, it’s weird how they’ve not requested evidence at this point.

 

I think I’m scared I’m going to ring up in the morning and make everything worse and they will escalate it then. 
 

is it normal for them just to ask me to ring up? 
 

thanks again, I know I am probably covering and asking the same things but I’m trying to prepare myself.

[Terrifieddebt]

Thank you. Roll on 8.30am, as much as I am dreading ringing I don’t want to cause any more trouble and lesson definitely learnt. I can’t beleive I’ve been so stupid 

[Terrifieddebt]

Thank you.

 

if think it’s definitely given me the kick up to him to start dealing with Debts etc and sort out my b

I’ll come back once I know the next stages and what’s happening. Why are the hmrc more lenient than the dwp? I’ve read cases where people have been punished for A lot smaller amounts. 
 

I think it’ll be a relief At the same time getting it off my chest and not living a lie 

[Terrifieddebt]

So after all of that worrying I spoke to a lady on the phone who has updated the claim, I will get a letter explaining everything and there’s no further action. I am crying because it’s such a relief. It was just a general check to make sure everything was up to date as I’ve not contacted them. 
 

thank you so much for every bodies help, now to run my credit file and open a new post. 

[Terrifieddebt]

I do. I must admit I woke up dreading ringing but just thought I’m going to do it. There were no questioning or anything just that she would put a referral in to get it sorted for last tax year and she would update this years. I had already updated everything online in the middle of the night too. 
 

childcare and single claim all cancelled but upon unclebulgarias advise I thought I’d check other things and realised we hadn’t applied for the 16weeks child benefit