§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints, broken down by category, he has received following the introduction of new tax credit arrangements. [169330]
§ Ruth KellyThis information is not available.
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of child tax credit awards that will be reduced following the finalisation of 2003–04 awards. [169391]
§ Ruth KellyChapter 4 of "The Child and Working Tax Credits. Modernisation of Britain's Tax and Benefit System. Number 10", April 2002, provided estimates of the number of families whose Child and Working tax credit awards may need to be reassessed due to rises in income. This is available at www.hm-treasurv.qov.uk/Documents/Taxation Work and Welfare. No reliable estimates are available of the number of awards which will be reduced at finalisation.
§ Mr. WebbTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of families currently receiving a manual top-up payment in respect of a child tax credit award which has been reduced because of overpayment; who will see those payments(a) terminated and (b) reduced following the finalisation of their 2003–04 awards; and if he will make a statement. [169400]
§ Ruth KellySince the start of the new tax year, families expected to have continuing entitlement to tax credits are receiving provisional payments based on the latest information held about their circumstances and income, while their claim for 2004–05 is renewed. Those payments may reflect the recovery of an overpayment from 2003–04, following the approach set out in Inland Revenue's Code of Practice 26, "What happens if we have paid you too much tax credit?". Families who had been receiving additional tax credit payments in 2003–04 are receiving provisional payments in the usual way, so that there is no need for continuing additional payments to them.
§ John BarrettTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of recipients of(a) child tax credit and (b) working tax credit have received payments above the level to which they are entitled; and what the average overpayment for each tax credit was. [170048]
1486W
§ Ruth KellyI refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow (Mr. Hepburn) on 22 March 2004,Official Report, columns 663-664W).
§ Geraldine SmithTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether tax credit helpline advisors inform claimants about(a) the recovery of overpayments and (b) the availability of top up payments when they report a change of circumstances. [165414]
§ Dawn PrimaroloIf after having reported a change in their circumstances claimants receive a revised award notice and require further information about their award, the helpline will be happy to advise them.