Private debt collectors to fetch back payments made in error

0
2334
Louise Haigh, Labour candidate for Sheffield Heeley

Households that received money they did not claim may get a knock on the door…

Thousands of struggling families who have been overpaid tax credits in error could face demands for repayment from private debt collectors.

Louise Haigh, the Labour MP for Sheffield Heeley, has discovered figures in the House of Commons Library showing that 600,000 people received £700m additional tax credits in error in 2013-14. Although this is less than in previous years, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) appointed a private sector contractor last November to chase debts that the tax authority has previously struggled to recoup through its own inspectors.

David Gauke, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, told Ms Haigh this summer that HMRC seeks to “recover all overpayments of tax credits no matter how they have arisen, as they do with all debts”.

This means that debt collectors can ultimately go after claimants who have been overpaid through no fault of their own. 

Concentrix, a US firm, was asked last November to carry out fraud and detection work for HMRC. Earlier this year, thousands of people were sent letters by the company accusing them of cheating on their tax credits, but the group has defended its record and HMRC says the contract has saved the tax authority around £100m already.

Those who have ongoing tax credit arrangements will find their welfare payments reduced to make up for the mistake. However, those whose tax credits have stopped will be liable for repaying HMRC directly, which might be a struggle due to their financial situation and the unexpectedness of the demand,  given they might not have realised they had been given too much.

Ms Haigh said: “Apparently the only small businesses celebrating this Government’s policies will be the debt collectors. Not only has George Osborne added an extra £48bn to household debt and cut tax credits for the low paid, but now he’s going to set the bailiffs on families who are only in debt because the Government overpaid them in the first place. 

 “It’s bad enough he’s selling off public assets, but now he’s privatising our debt as well. And I have to ask if that would even be necessary if HMRC was just resourced to do its job properly in the first place.”

A spokesman for HMRC challenged the word “bailiff, as the debt collectors will not seize assets. He added: “We always work hard to ensure claimants receive the correct amount of tax credit payments.   

“When a claimant receives more than they are entitled to, but hasn’t paid this back, we aim to come to a payment arrangement with the individual so that they can reduce their debts in a manageable way – that’s only fair to taxpayers. 

“Where we don’t receive a response to our letters, phone calls and texts, we may arrange a visit from a private provider so we can discuss possible payment arrangements with them. These visits do not involve the seizure of assets or county court proceedings.” 

Read more at The Independent

Debt Collection Sheffield 

LEAVE A REPLY

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.