Hi, I am also a mum who had to pay back an overpayment of tax credit award ( 143 pounds per month for a whole year!!!). I did appeal twice against it but with no success. Yesterday I read in the papers that the recovery of overpayment was illegal. Is that true and could that mean that I could claim my money back from Inland Revenue?

Esther, Brighton, UK

The working tax credit - It is a typical Brown ploy - smoke and mirrors - just ike the private finance initiative, it keeps the transactions off the treasury's books but provides very poor value. His contribution as a chancelor has been mainly to introduce masses of very opaque and complicated taxation - enough to confuse everyone until a sober reflection later reveals the truth. The cost of implimenting some of his measures exceed the value of the benefits. These dreaded initiatives are never looked at in a sober considered way - how will they work in practice - what are the pitfalls? What are the costs? More importantly no trials are ever seemingly conducted - the essence of providing robust new systems. The sucess of his chancelorship has been based mainly on keeping the tories economic policies going for as long as possible, against a backdrop of benign or booming worldwide growth. He is a deeply sceaming individual who at last has succeeded in deceiving everyone.

Diddly Do, Liverpool,

I separated from my ex husband in 2005 are received giro payments as a single parent after this. I informed the tax credits office of my change in circumstances immediatley. But they did not close the joint claim so my manual giro payments went onto the joint claim event though i had informed them of the change. I received to bills this year for over payments the first on was for over £5000 which was in joint names which is how I found out about there mistake. It then took me six months of corresponce the receive a correct bill for £500 but then i received anouther bill for anouther £500 overpayment for the next tax year a double wammy. I then tried to arrange repayment of boths bills together on a monthly basis the tax office would not accept this and said i have to pay them back separatley. I then received a letter threatening court proceedings even though i had appealed against these claims. So i had the hardship of finding a lump sum and monthly payment. Ms Norris Swindon

Norris, Swindon, Wiltshire

i hope whoever been overpaid by mistake should be exempted from repaying back, as not only its been a fiasco for te government but very stressful for parents. i was told i owe the tax office for overpayment of tax credit by over £9000.00.my wife is disable and my three grown up children are all in ful time education where i need to support all of them. i am paying back an substantial amount,which is really very difficult to cope.

a.s. peeroo, harrow middlesex, u.k.

I was one of the countless families who appealed my overpayment. I took it to the highest level through my local MP who wrote on my behalf to the head of the child tax credit at Westminster. They eventually wrote back basically saying there was nothing they could do. I had to pay it back. how is it fair that there are two rates at which it has to be paid back. Most people only have to pay it back at a rate of 10%. Those on basic family tax credit have to pay it back at a rate of 90% - even if it is thousands (according to family tax credit people!!)

olivia stewart, Bangor, Northern Ireland

It is impossible to calculate your own entitlement from the information given in the renewal packs, therefore it is impossible to check that they have got it right. All you can do is confirm the information you have given them for the basis of the calculation is correct and hope their systems can work it out correctly. Every time they send me a final statement, I puzzle over if they are saying I have overpaid or underpaid or whats going on. And every time I just have to assume they've got it right.

And I've got a PhD!

Nick Harris, Southanpton,

i was a single working mum in 2003 i married in august 2004 and contacted tax credits they awarded me tax credits to pay back the debt from the previous year the following year we recieved a ill for over £300 hich i paid back and last year we got another bill for £1,400 hich i have been paying at £60 a month for over a year i did hoever appeal but i was informed i owed the money and could go to prison if i never paid it back. can you give me advice on whom i can contact.

joyce gillespie, liverpool, merseyside

I have been paying back tax credits for the last 3 years ,my children are 9 and 11 at the moment . the overpayment arose when my husband lost his job and i was working part- time and looking after my father who died this year (91) . of course we spent the money , no i don't smoke or drink/do drugs it went on food ,clothing and shoes for the kids.
it started as £2,000 then after receiving no tax credits for 2 years to pay it back, it went up to £5,000. when i tried to query it received a reply 8 months later.no , i am not thick
just too tired and grieving to be bothered. i will be 62 when its all paid back and my kids 21 and 19. i did ask if we could repay the money when our finances have eased (by the way we have a tiny mortgage of less than £20k and no other debts) but was told no.
the amount of time and effort it took to try and sort it out
was better spent by me getting more hours in at work to bring in some cash. good luck to anyone who gets something back.

mrs d molloy, gloucester,