DWP historic tax credits recovery

[Mrs AMC]

Hi there
Im new to the forum and need some advice. I have received a letter from DWP stating they are requesting an attachment of earnings from my employer for a tax credits overpayment from 10 years ago. They have not supplied a reason or breakdown for the overpayment and I’m absolutely certain it will be wrong as I was so stringent with informing them of any changes. From reading HMRC are passing over historical overpayments to DWP as the statue of limitations does not apply to DWP debts. It also appears that because this debt was so long ago the avenues to dispute this have lapsed due to the time passed. Can anyone advise on what to do? As if things are not bad enough this year then this happens. I feel absolutely mentally I’ll with this blow! Thank you

[echat11]

Hi MRS AMC

They really have exceeded themselves you can't make these sort of things up.

Send HMRC a Subject Access Request. If you are being asked to pay back monies, then you want to know how the error occurred.

Especially as HMRC get lots of stuff wrong. They have 30 days to provide the data they hold (hopefully they will have data for more then 6 years), make sure you get Proof of Postage.

https://legalbeagles.info/library/gu...ccess-request/

Depending on what they send back, you should be able to Appeal their decision as you've only recently received the letter.

https://www.gov.uk/tax-credits-appea...ts-overpayment

[islandgirl]

I had an approx 8 year battle with tax credits who do not understand self employment. I owed nothing. They wanted payment. Got their agreement that most of it was statute barred ie they could argue I owed it but not take court action to recover it and that they had made "some" mistakes. They are an absolute nightmare to deal with.

[Mrs AMC]

Thanks ECHTT11 I will do that with HMRC. ISLANDGIRL it’s statue bared with hmrc but apparently 600,000 historic overpayments now being requested by DWP to whom the rules do not apply

[echat11]

Thanks ECHTT11 I will do that with HMRC. ISLANDGIRL it’s statue bared with hmrc but apparently 600,000 historic overpayments now being requested by DWP to whom the rules do not apply

It needs to be 'challenged' in a group action against DWP / HMRC. Update the thread with progress.

[islandgirl]

That is worrying.