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- Member
Wed Oct 24, 2018 11:41 am
Im hoping someone can help/advice me. I have been caring for my mother who has recently had to move in with myself, husband and children.
In August 2017 I started working for my husband's company as it is growing and he needed assistance with administration, invoices, appointments, telephone business calls etc. I still continued caring as normal for my mother as normal. Also looking after 2 young kids etc.... I did not realise that you could not work ( earning over a certain amount) and still receive carers allowance! My stupidity and ignorance for not reading the annual letters, just glancing at the weekly amount, and putting the letter into a drawer, and never looking at it again.
In August 2018 I received a letter stating I was under fraud investigation. Didn't have a clue what for! Until it read for Carers allowance! Off-course Im on a payroll system, and pay tax etc, but I had no idea I was doing anything illegal! I was horrified and shocked at this.
I attended the interview under caution and explained I had made a genuine mistake which was my own fault. A family member accompanied me. I had nothing to hide or lie about, and told the truth. The invesigators were actually very nice and understood what Id done and did say it was unlikely there would be any prosecution, but I would have to re-pay the overpaid amount of £2984. I left the interview feeling quite positive and relieved even knowing that the recording would be listen too, and a decision would be made as to what happens next.
I received a letter dated 12th October stating that I have to set up a payment plan to repay £2984, no civil penalty was being applied, so I thought this was all that was happening..... until yesterday I received a phone call from one of the investigators telling me that they giving me an administrative penalty of 50% of the overpayment to pay of the £2984! This now makes the total payment amount I have to pay £4477.35 I am devastated. I cried and have worried about how Im going to pay all this money, how could they do this to me? Especially when Ive made a mistake and Im paying every penny back that I owe them. I have a meeting next week to discuss wether or not Im accepting the penalty and if I dont, it can then be passed to crown prosecution Scotland and the PF will then decide if I should be prosecuted. Im in such a state over this.
In August 2017 I started working for my husband's company as it is growing and he needed assistance with administration, invoices, appointments, telephone business calls etc. I still continued caring as normal for my mother as normal. Also looking after 2 young kids etc.... I did not realise that you could not work ( earning over a certain amount) and still receive carers allowance! My stupidity and ignorance for not reading the annual letters, just glancing at the weekly amount, and putting the letter into a drawer, and never looking at it again.
In August 2018 I received a letter stating I was under fraud investigation. Didn't have a clue what for! Until it read for Carers allowance! Off-course Im on a payroll system, and pay tax etc, but I had no idea I was doing anything illegal! I was horrified and shocked at this.
I attended the interview under caution and explained I had made a genuine mistake which was my own fault. A family member accompanied me. I had nothing to hide or lie about, and told the truth. The invesigators were actually very nice and understood what Id done and did say it was unlikely there would be any prosecution, but I would have to re-pay the overpaid amount of £2984. I left the interview feeling quite positive and relieved even knowing that the recording would be listen too, and a decision would be made as to what happens next.
I received a letter dated 12th October stating that I have to set up a payment plan to repay £2984, no civil penalty was being applied, so I thought this was all that was happening..... until yesterday I received a phone call from one of the investigators telling me that they giving me an administrative penalty of 50% of the overpayment to pay of the £2984! This now makes the total payment amount I have to pay £4477.35 I am devastated. I cried and have worried about how Im going to pay all this money, how could they do this to me? Especially when Ive made a mistake and Im paying every penny back that I owe them. I have a meeting next week to discuss wether or not Im accepting the penalty and if I dont, it can then be passed to crown prosecution Scotland and the PF will then decide if I should be prosecuted. Im in such a state over this.
Perhaps also a hefty fine? Not sure, as Ive never been in a court, or had any fines in the past! Im between a rock and a hard place. 