tax credits appeal

[mandy22]

Good Morning all
Im having a bit of a battle with the friendly tax credits people with regards to an overpayment they made following a change in my circumstances almost two years ago, even though i told the change was happening before it actually happened !
I sent in an appeal towards the end of last year and then heard no more till a few weeks ago - and yes they still want the money back
My question is:- Is there a timescale they have to conform to for replying to letters they receive from claimants, as a few months to reply to me seems way too long.
Would appreciate any advice as I thinking of reappealing.
Many thanks,

[EDDIE51]

Get the CAB to help with the appeal , they are very good at this sort of thing.
At worst the tax credit people will take the cash back by reducing your payments until it is repaid , they will ask for it all back i a lump sum but just tell them you can't afford it.

[ummmm]

Like Eddie says...

Take into consideration that they have millions of people to deal with.

[friedgreentomato]

This happened to me - lodge a formal complaint with them - this will stop any recovery and ask for a reconsideration providing all of your evidence - did you check all correspondance that you received from them after you made your changes?

You would have received a notification of change - you should have checked that and rang back if something wasn't right on it - do you still have those noticifations?

[weecalf]

Appeal ,what appeal ,they throw it to the bottom of the pile and come acroos it again send a repayment letter .Was the letter signed by anyone .Went through same thing .Now repaying them but let them know I begrudged them every penny .I have worked and paid taxes for over 40 years .They said I would have to pay it in one lump sum .Told them I could not afford it .So am now paying it off 25 quid a month after paying half of there and then .

[mandy22]

thanks all, i might visit the CAB for some general advice, to see if i can reappeal. Ive already been told by the tax credits people they cant take it out of my payments now because its from an old claim, they want it all. will tell them i cant afford to pay it all and make an offer of monthly payments.

[B00]

At risk of sounding horribly rude....

Did you spend this money, even though you knew it was an overpayment and that you weren't entitled to it?

[cathfromsaron]

i paid monthly when i was forced to repay money overpaid by them despite my updating them in plenty of time!

BUT i do agree you should repay it, UNLESS they told you an incorrect amount by letter - which you still have - and you actually thought the money was yours by right?

[lcg]

no...they can take it back as and when they wish.

[lcg]

same as benefits or housing benefit. you can appeal, but sometimes you don't even get that luxury. once they have decided - that's pretty much it. sorry.

[mandy22]

i didnt know id been overpayed at the time, i ended a claim as a single person as started a new one as married couple. 18 months later they tell me i was overpaid in April - June 2010 (when i married) something to so with tax credits are worked out on an over the whole year basis, but because i ended the claim part through the year they work it out on the number of days i acutally claimed. too complicated for me ! and they also overpaid by a week after i was married even though i had already ended the claim before i got married, anyway this resulted in an overpayment . Im just going to pay up slowly (just like their handling of this overpayment, it took them 18 months to notice the error and then takes them months to reply to appeal !) thanks for advice.