Hi, I am asking this for a good friend of mine. Her circumstances are as follows. She works full time, has two teenage school boys. She lost her husband to cancer a year ago, who worked full time self employed.
She notified all the relevant departments about her change od circumstance etc.
She received letter from TCO last week saying they had received information to suggest she had claimed when she shouldn't have been and that she owes approx £5000. She phoned to ask what the situation was and what information they had received. They refused to tell her who had called them and what information they had received from this person. They also told her that her payments had stopped!
She is a lone parent with two teenage sons to support. She cannot survive on her income alone. They were not in the least bit intrested....they told her that 'it is of no concern to them' how she is to survive financially!
So, basically she is being penalised before they even have investigated anything. I know my friend is as honest as the day is long! She is holding it togtether, but she can't believe that someone has done this to her when she has done nothing wrong!
Can the tax credits office stop her money just like that? Surel they have to investigate first before finding her guilty? I just feel so helpless for her. She has been through so much in the past 18 months. Her husband died 5 months after being diagnosed with cancer...he was 45 years old.
Of course, she will comply with whatever they want her to do. But, after it has all been sorted out, can she find out who called them and could this person be prosecuted for defamation of character?
Any advice would be appreciated.
She notified all the relevant departments about her change od circumstance etc.
She received letter from TCO last week saying they had received information to suggest she had claimed when she shouldn't have been and that she owes approx £5000. She phoned to ask what the situation was and what information they had received. They refused to tell her who had called them and what information they had received from this person. They also told her that her payments had stopped!
She is a lone parent with two teenage sons to support. She cannot survive on her income alone. They were not in the least bit intrested....they told her that 'it is of no concern to them' how she is to survive financially!
So, basically she is being penalised before they even have investigated anything. I know my friend is as honest as the day is long! She is holding it togtether, but she can't believe that someone has done this to her when she has done nothing wrong!
Can the tax credits office stop her money just like that? Surel they have to investigate first before finding her guilty? I just feel so helpless for her. She has been through so much in the past 18 months. Her husband died 5 months after being diagnosed with cancer...he was 45 years old.
Of course, she will comply with whatever they want her to do. But, after it has all been sorted out, can she find out who called them and could this person be prosecuted for defamation of character?
Any advice would be appreciated.
