Hi All,
I was wondering if I could get some advice, I have received a letter from Rossendales Debt Collectors on behalf of HM Revenue & Customs.
They are claiming an overpayment of Working Tax Credits to the amount of £1268.68.
I phoned HM Revenue & Customs Tax Credit helpline and the unhelpful woman on the phone said the overpayments are from two separate periods when I received working tax credits, 2008 and 2011.
These were perfectly genuine claims but because I failed to send a completion pack at the end of the year the claims were terminated and HMRC require all the money back. I was unaware I had to send a completion pack (stupid I know, but I assumed that because they had access to my national insurance number and tax details they would see how much I earned and that my tax credits claim was genuine, I moved around a lot in those years and didn't receive any of the post communication).
I asked the woman from HMRC if I could arrange some sort of payments to repay the money i.e. through my PAYE etc. She refused to discuss it and said that because it is with the debt collection agency I had to deal with them, unless I wanted to pay the overpayment on in full then she could deal with me there and then. Obviously I cant pay it all off in one, I claim tax credits so I'm clearly on a low income!!!
Where do I stand, will it now go to court?
What rights do I have with regards to payment options?
Have I any options with regards to proving I was entitled to the tax credits?
Are debt collection agencies different to bailiffs, will they come to my house and take my stuff?
Many thanks in advance,
Keith
I was wondering if I could get some advice, I have received a letter from Rossendales Debt Collectors on behalf of HM Revenue & Customs.
They are claiming an overpayment of Working Tax Credits to the amount of £1268.68.
I phoned HM Revenue & Customs Tax Credit helpline and the unhelpful woman on the phone said the overpayments are from two separate periods when I received working tax credits, 2008 and 2011.
These were perfectly genuine claims but because I failed to send a completion pack at the end of the year the claims were terminated and HMRC require all the money back. I was unaware I had to send a completion pack (stupid I know, but I assumed that because they had access to my national insurance number and tax details they would see how much I earned and that my tax credits claim was genuine, I moved around a lot in those years and didn't receive any of the post communication).
I asked the woman from HMRC if I could arrange some sort of payments to repay the money i.e. through my PAYE etc. She refused to discuss it and said that because it is with the debt collection agency I had to deal with them, unless I wanted to pay the overpayment on in full then she could deal with me there and then. Obviously I cant pay it all off in one, I claim tax credits so I'm clearly on a low income!!!
Where do I stand, will it now go to court?
What rights do I have with regards to payment options?
Have I any options with regards to proving I was entitled to the tax credits?
Are debt collection agencies different to bailiffs, will they come to my house and take my stuff?
Many thanks in advance,
Keith
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