An Online Consultation on Tax Credit Overpayments Wants To Hear From You - Andrew Stunell MP

12.00.00am GMT Mon 28th Feb 2005

Hazel Grove MP, Andrew Stunell is calling on constituents who have faced problems with tax credit overpayments to report their experiences to an independent advice network collecting evidence on the problems people are facing.

The online consultation is being run by adviceni - an independent advice network based in Northern Ireland. They are seeking the views of tax credit recipients from all over the UK.

Mr Stunell said:

"The Government's continued inability to pay families the money they are owed is breathtaking. Many local families have contacted me because they are being left out of pocket without the means for everyday living.

"The introduction of the new tax credits has pushed millions of families onto a rollercoaster of late payments, overpayment, claw back of payments and reassessments. It is time the Government looked at simplifying the system and ending the misery of the hundreds of thousands of families caught in a bureaucratic nightmare.

"The more evidence that can be gathered about the problems for ordinary hard working families the better. Anyone can go to their local library and use the internet, so I recommend using the opportunity of highlighting your experiences in this way."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1) The online consultation can be accessed at http://www.adviceni.net/forum/forum_topics.asp?FID=5

Whilst based in Northern Ireland, adviceni would welcome feedback from people across the UK - please say where you are based if you log onto the consultation. For more information on adviceni, see its website at http://www.adviceni.net