Election 2010 Party Manifestos: Tax Credits

Election 2010 Party Manifestos: Tax Credits

At long last, the election has finally been called for 6th May. The big question now is: how are we going to vote?

There are lots of reasons why people make the choices they do when they vote. Some traditionally stick to one party, some look at specific issues, and some the bigger picture. What we do know is that ‘floating voters’ (the ones who don’t have a traditional party allegiance) are the voters who make a significant difference. Interestingly recent studies show that these ‘floating voters’ are more likely to be women then men.

So to try and help those of you who don’t yet know how to vote, but reckon Tax Credits is a big enough issue to sway your vote, (and let’s face it with an overpayment of nearly £4k I’m going to be swayed by the guy who says ‘we’ll write that off’!), TCC thought we would try to establish a clear picture from the main parties to inform you of their positions.

In July 2009, Graham wrote to the three main Party leaders, asking them to tell us what their election manifestos contained with regard to Tax Credits and Tax Credit overpayments. Here’s the letter we sent to each Party leader

Response:-

Read the Lib Dem Party response

Read the Conservative Party response

Read the Labour Party response

More...

Estimates of fraud and error across all benefits

Estimates of fraud and error across all benefits in 2008/09

For 2008/09, it is estimated that 2.2 per cent, or £3.0bn, of total benefit expenditure was overpaid due to fraud and error.

The estimate for the percentage overpaid in 2008/09 is higher than the preliminary estimate for 2008/09 published in May 2009. The estimated percentage of benefit expenditure overpaid has increased from 2.0% to 2.2% and in value terms from £2.7bn to £3.0bn.

For 2008/09, it is estimated that 0.9 per cent, or £1.2bn, of total benefit expenditure was underpaid due to fraud and error.

The estimates for the percentage and value of benefit expenditure underpaid in 2008/09 have remained at the same level as the preliminary estimate for 2008/09 published in May 2009.

~~~~
Ed. What they still place errors in with fraud. So if you or they make a mistake you are classed as Fraud

Life inside the beleaguered HMRC

Life inside the beleaguered HMRC

Morale within the department is poor, employees complain

Former employees of under-fire HM Revenue and Customs service have contacted the BBC

News website to describe life inside its offices.

The news that the details of 25 million recipients of Child Benefit payments have gone missing has shone a spotlight on HMRC.

The agency collects and administers direct and indirect taxes; and pays and administers Child Benefit, Child Trust Fund and Tax Credits. It is also responsible for environmental taxes, enforcing the National Minimum Wage and recovery of student loans.

Formed in 2005 following a merger between HM Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue, it has proved controversial since its inception.

But now it faces intense criticism after junior officials were blamed for sending computer discs with personal details of all UK families through the post - only for the discs to disappear.

MORE...

Ode To Tax Credits (III)

Ode To Tax Credits (III)

Also discover what the Government SAY* thay will do if elected.

* May be this is just more talk to try get votes.

Risk and Government: The Architectonics of Blame-avoidance

Risk and Government: The Architectonics of Blame-avoidance.

This may help explain why the Government are not willing to fix the issues with the Tax Credits System

MPs' expenses, (An error)

MPs' expenses, (An error)... Honestly

Opps, they made an honest mistake in filling in their claims...

Well so have a lot of people trying to get a decent income by having it topped up with Tax Credits.

Those making mistakes in Tax Credits are places in the SAME category of those committing FRAUD.

For M.P.’s the story appears different. They laugh all the way to the bank. Buying everything form light bulbs to large screen flat screen televisions while a lot of income earners paying taxes to get MP’s these goodies are having to payback Tax Credit

Expenses scandal: House of frauds - Times Online UK News; World News; Politics; Science; Environment ... could have quite the effect that this expenses scandal has ... home of Alan Duncan, a millionaire Tory MP who had claimed £7,000 expenses ... << (ed) More than most ever get a year in Tax Credit

http://www.bing.com/search?q=mp+expenses+how+much

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&hl=en-GB&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLL_en-GBGB355GB355&q=mp+expenses+how+much

http://uk.search.yahoo.com/search?&p=MPs%27+expense

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=hts&oq=&hl=en-GB&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLL_en-GBGB355GB355&q=MPs%27+expenses

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rlz=1T4GGLL_en-GBGB355GB355&q=mp+expenses+scandal&meta=&aq=2&oq=MP+expenses

Tax code errors cost over £1,000 a year.

Tax code errors could cost a 'huge number of people' over £1,000 a year, financial group warns

Workers may have been sent the wrong tax codes following the introduction of a new computer system at HM Revenue & Customs, a tax group warned today.

The Chartered Institute of Taxation believes wrong information may have been sent out to 'huge numbers of people' and warned that unless it was corrected, it could cost them hundreds of pounds.

The group said many people with only one job were being sent two or more tax coding notices with different tax codes.

....


An HMRC spokesman said: 'The new IT system is improving the accuracy of the PAYE so that more people than ever before are correctly taxed.


'Anyone in this position should check their code using the guidance included with the code and on our website, www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometax

Read more

Reform the Tax Credit system

Pocket Guide to Liberal Democrat Policies 2009, (Subject to possible change)

Reform the Tax Credit system – Low income families should be able to sleep easy at night knowing that the payment they receive is right and won’t be clawed back.

We will make payments fixed for 6 months (unless a family experiences a large and unexpected drop in income) so families are not constantly paying tax credits
back.

We will also reduce the number of people eligible for Tax Credits who are on higher incomes and use the resulting savings to increase education spending for the most deprived children.

Taxman ignored 44 million calls

Taxman ignored 44 million calls

HM Revenue and Customs failed to answer about 44 million calls last year, the Whitehall spending watchdog has disclosed.

The National Audit Office (NAO) described the performance of HMRC's 31 customer "contact centres" during the course of 2008-09 as "unacceptable".

Despite employing the equivalent of 10,500 full-time staff at the centres at a cost of £233 million, HMRC still failed to pick up 43% of the 103 million calls it received during the year.

During the busiest periods - such as the tax credit renewals peak in July - just one in three calls (33%) was actually answered.

Callers who did get through had to wait an average two minutes for a reply - or almost four minutes if they were ringing at peak times.

That contrasted with best practice in the private sector where the target is for 90% of all calls to be picked up within 10 seconds.

Although the latest figures for the first half of 2009-10 have shown some improvement by HMRC, the NAO said that more than one in four calls - 27% - were still not getting a reply.

In the private sector, the benchmark is that no more than 10% of calls should go unanswered.

Benefits Helpline

Benefits Helpline.

Please note the editor does no know if any charges are expected for support using this service. Check for any charges first.

We can give totally impartial advice as The Benefits Helpline is not affiliated with any government department/services

All benefits problems solved with fast, accurate, simple, expert advice. Are you in a high end job? Found you are just too busy to realise that you are missing unclaimed benefits?

The Benefits Helpline can advise you on what benefits you can claim.

As the UK's dedicated benefits support service, the Benefits Helpline specialises in advising and assisting people who are classed as 'high earners'. The Benefits Helpline will help you unveil any unclaimed and unpaid benefits that are currently not known by you.

Get help with any benefit related query: -
How to claim benefits.
Information on benefits.
Entitle to benefits.
Benefits forms made simple.
Comprehensive benefit advice.
Benefits and tax credits.

The Benefits Helpline has been setup to deal with UK benefit queries.
Trained advisors are on hand to deal with anything from your general enquires and specialist problems, to emergencies.

The Benefits Helpline is tailored to support all benefit related enquiries. With trained benefits advisors on call, you will speak to a straightforward, articulate and friendly telephone support agent.

The trained benefits advisors are on hand to ensure that that your benefits problems will be dealt with absolute professionalism and efficiency.

There will be no jargon, just competent, accurate, straight forward advice tailored to fit your needs.

As the UK's dedicated benefit support service, you are safe in the knowledge that the Benefits Helpline offers you a comprehensive and accurate solution, for all of your benefits related enquiries.

Benefits Helpline