Tax Credit Overpayments (Edinburgh)

2nd May2006

John Barrett managed to get a Parliamentary debate on the problems that Edinburgh residents are facing with the Tax Credit System.

Speaking in the Westminster Hall Debate, on Tuesday May 2nd 2006, John Barrett highlighted the problems that his constituents have faced with regard to the Tax Credit System.

Two cases brought forward by John Barrett MP are being investigated by the Treasury, while in a third a constituent who was overpaid Tax Credits of £4,500, despite giving the Tax Credit Office the correct information at all times, was told today that she would be allowed to keep the monies because of the Treasury’s mistake.

John Barrett said:

“It is simply unacceptable to demand large amounts of money back from people who reasonably assumed that the government would get its sums right.

“This is an issue that it becoming frequently raised at my office surgeries and is a concern to many people who will suffer financially from the incompetence of the Tax Credit system “

See full debate in They Work For You