If the overpayment was due to ‘official error' - and you told the Tax Credit Office within one month that there was a mistake on your award - the Tax Credit Office may write off the overpayment. Before they do this they will check that you gave them the right information, and that you checked that your award was correct. Make a request for the Tax Credit Office to consider not recovering the overpayment. Ask for form TC846 and the Code of Practice 26, which explains circumstances in which overpayments will not be recovered.

You can also make a request for all or part of an overpayment not to be recovered because it would cause your family hardship. When describing the hardship your family is experiencing, include any impact on your or your child's health or welfare, the effect on your caring responsibilities, any other debts you have and whether it would make it uneconomic for you to take up or stay in paid work.

If you dispute the decision to recover an overpayment, the Tax Credit Office will automatically stop recovery of an overpayment while it considers your request.

Contact the Lone Parent Helpline for more information on how to dispute the decision to recover an overpayment.

Next: What if I am having difficulties repaying the overpayment?