(2) how many disputed tax credit overpayments have resulted in no repayment (a) because of official error and (b) in total in each month of each year since their introduction; and if he will make a statement;
(3) how many tax credit overpayments were disputed in each month (a) between June 2007 and March 2008 and (b) since December 2008; and if he will make a statement.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not separately record whether a tax credits overpayment is written off in part or in full so the precise information requested is not available. HMRC explains its approach to tax credits overpayments and the circumstances in which customers may not have to pay them back in its Code of Practice 26 “What happens if we’ve paid you too much tax credit?”, available at:
www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/cop26.pdf
For information about the numbers of disputed overpayment cases and the number of disputed overpayments written off in part or in full as a result of official error up to and including 2007-08, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander) on 17 March 2008, Official Report, columns 901-02W, and 20 May 2008, Official Report, column 212W.
Information relating to disputed overpayments written off on grounds of official error in 2008-09 and 2009-10 can be found in the following table.
New disputes (around) Written off in part or full (around) 2008 May — 950 June — 750 July — 1,000 August — 950 September — 1,200 October — 1,350 November — 1,650 December 15,250 1,800 2009 January 11,200 2,350 February 8,450 2,200 March 8,600 4,250 April 8,450 4,650 May 6,300 1,650 June 9,000 2,250 July 8,800 2,300 August 10,350 2,150 September 13,750 2,800 October 12,050 2,750 November 15,250 3,400 December 9,450 2,400 Note: The figures for overpayments written off do not directly relate to those disputes that were received in the same period.
The number of tax credit overpayments remitted separately on hardship grounds are compiled annually to the end of October and are shown in the following table.
Year to end of October Number of overpayments remitted 2006 134 2007 2,092 2008 1,176 2009 1,189
(2) what plans he has for the treatment of the remaining £559 million of tax credits overpayments created in 2003-04 that had not been recovered by 31 March 2009;
(3) what steps he plans to take to increase the number of opportunities for recovering tax credit overpayments from any subsequent tax credits payments where one award has ceased and a new award started;
(4) what changes he proposes to enable a greater number of tax credits customers to repay overpayments through deduction from income and benefits.
These issues were included in the conclusions and recommendations of the Committee of Public Accounts report 2009-10: ‘HM Revenue and Customs: Improving the Processing and Collection of Tax: Income Tax, Corporation Tax, Stamp Duty Land Tax and Tax Credits’ (HC 97), published on 10 December 2009. The Government will publish their responses to the Committee's Report in a Treasury Minute.
The information requested is on page R39 of HM Revenue and Customs 2008-09 Accounts, available at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/hmrc-accs-0809.pdf
Processes are in place to ensure that the recovery of overpayments does not cause hardship. HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) policy on the recovery of overpayments is set out in the Code of Practice 26 ‘What happens if we have paid you too much tax credits?’, available at:
www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/cop26.pdf
Households receiving the maximum tax credits, with no reduction due to income, will have a maximum of 10 per cent. of their award recovered to re-pay an overpayment. Those entitled to the child element above the family element or working tax credit below the maximum award will have a maximum of 25 per cent. of their award recovered in order to repay an overpayment. If a customer cannot meet their living expenses, due to recovery of the overpayment, HMRC may allow more time to repay the overpayment.