UK NEWS

STOP GIVING ME MONEY!

Saturday June 2,2007

By Tony Brooks

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THE taxman has ignored all pleas from a family and keeps showering them with cash.

In an astonishing illustration of the Government’s shambolic family tax credit system, the money keeps rolling in for architectural technician Russell Whittles and his wife and daughter.

Mr Whittles, 41, has frequently asked HM Revenue and Customs to stop sending cheques to his home and direct debits to his bank. But he said: “It has all been to no avail. I am getting thousands in tax credits and I am not entitled to a penny.”

His situation shows how the system has descended into chaos. Last year alone, overpayment to families amounted to £1.7 billion. Since Gordon Brown launched the system three years ago, £5.7billion has been handed to those who do not qualify.

The saga for Mr Whittles and wife Arunee, 35, started two years ago when he applied for tax credits following the birth of daughter Olena.

They noticed early on that they were receiving too much and when he visited his local tax office in Bury, Greater Manchester, he was told he had been over-paid by £300 but the matter would sort itself out. It never did and regular direct debit payments and cheques have continued to be paid.

Mr Whittles, from Crawshawbooth, near Rawtenstall, Lancs, said: “It sounds great to receive all this money but I know I will have to pay it back at some point and I just want to get it sorted out.

“I have sent out scores of letters, made countless phone calls and even visited several different offices but it has not made any difference.

“About four weeks ago, I had 10 cheques posted to me, each one for £350, so I went to see them again and told them again to stop sending money to me – but nothing has happened.”

He added: “It is not just cheques, which I can send back. There are the direct debit payments, which are difficult to avoid spending. If there are bills to pay and there’s money in your account, what are you supposed to do?”

Last month Russell received a letter stating that he had been overpaid by nearly £4,000 so far this financial year.

He said: “Even if I am entitled to it, which I know I am not, I just do not want it any more. I guess the only way of stopping it is to be dead. Even then, they will probably continue to send me money.”

Cliff Hathaway, spokesman for HM Revenue and Customs, said he could not go into the specifics of Mr Whittles’ case.

But he added: “We are aware we do have problems occasionally and we urge anyone who does to get in contact with the tax credit helpline on 0845 300 3900.”

STOP GIVING ME MONEY!

03.06.07, 10:00am

Apart from bleeding the population dry by way of Direct, Stealth and Council Taxes and Fines etc - is there ANYTHING that New Labour have come up with in the last 10 years that has actually worked (Properly) ?.

• Posted by: EmperorMing • Report Comment

INCOMPETENT MORONS CIVIL SERVANTS WITH A JOB FOR LIFE!

02.06.07, 6:43pm

And no accountability for anything they do this is a regular occurence as councils and tax offices are returned payments.

If there is not an appropriate screen in the computer system then they send them back not my problem you have it it is easier for a moron civil servant that way than doing the job they are paid for.

Accountability in the workplace, in schools and every where else is non exhistent, "they didn't know any better it is not their fault" from teenage killers to paedophiles they do what they like in a corrupt society!

• Posted by: The_Way_I_See_It • Report Comment