With the tax credits renewal deadline of 31 July just ten days away, HMRC has revealed the top 10 excuses for not renewing tax credits claims.
Excuses given by claimants to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for missing the deadline include:
- I didn’t need the money because I’d met a rich bloke, but he dumped me
- My mum usually does this for me
- The form was locked in the boot of my car, and then my car caught fire
- My baby used the paperwork as a colouring book
- My dog ate the form
- I got confused with the 31 January Self Assessment deadline
- I booked the last two weeks of July for a holiday and forgot all about it
- I’ve been in hospital but am feeling much better now
- I was unable to get income details from my employers in time
- I thought I’d already renewed
Claimants have until the 31 July deadline to renew, or their payments might end – last year more than 650,000 failed to renew on time. This year, for the first time, claimants can renew online, at GOV.UK, as well as being able to renew by post and phone.
Nick Lodge, Director General of Benefits and Credits, HMRC, said: “By 15 July over 203,000 claimants have renewed online. It’s a quick and easy way to do it. Renewing tax credits on time is important. People who don’t renew by the deadline can, and do, lose their payments.”
HMRC asks all claimants to check the accuracy of the information in their renewals pack, and to tell the department about any changes to their circumstances that they haven’t already reported, such as to their working hours, childcare costs or pay.
Granton Information Centre’s Caroline Pickering said: “There has been quite a big media campaign to remind people that they must renew their claims, and it really is important that they do so by 31 July. Many of our clients first approach us with money problems, and any loss of income can have really serious consequences for families who are often living on the tightest of budgets”.
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