HMRC Income Tax refund and Universal Credit

timotheus123
timotheus123 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
edited January 2019 in Universal Credit (UC)
HI,
Sill a tax refund paid to me for overpaid income tax effect my Univerdsl Credit payment ?

ie will it be taken as Income ?
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Comments

  • Ami2301
    Ami2301 Community member Posts: 7,879 Championing
    Hi @timotheus123 welcome to the community! I am unsure however I'm sure other members of our community will be in touch soon to answer your query.

    Do let us know if we can be of any further assistance! :)
  • OutOfTheWorld99
    OutOfTheWorld99 Community member Posts: 36 Contributor
    Only if the amount paid exceeded what yo received in your Universal Credit Assessment Period.See CAB for this as its a total mind bender and made so in my view as to what peoples assessment periods are.Apparently is different for everyone.It will also be down to how much the refund was for. 
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 273 Empowering
    Hi @timotheus123

    I think that there may be difference between the treatment of this income depending upon whether it is from self-employment or if it is from employment.

    If it is a self-employment matter, I think it could be taken into account, and if not, it may be ignored. 

    I will try to find the regulation and post it below. 

    I have found some information, but am sorry to say that I am not completely sure about this. 

    Gill_Scope

    https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2013/9780111531938/regulation/57

     

    https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2013/9780111531938/regulation/66

     

    https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/claiming-a-tax-rebate-after-losing-your-job


  • timotheus123
    timotheus123 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
    Hi Gill
    is there a definitive answer ?
    have received an HMRC tax refund - am self employed and have been since Jan 18.
    the HMRC tax refund was for my employment yr 2017/18.

    will the universal credit payment in Jan take this into account ?

    it seems ridiculous if they do, as it’s nothing to do with my self employment income ..

    this is stressing me out big time !
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,139 Championing
    It will be classed as income for that assessment period.
  • timotheus123
    timotheus123 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
    Thanks Poppy. I’ve succumbed to that now. This isn’t right; but they make the rules, as has been said. 
    Tax paid as employed with company car etc
    leave job, start out on your own and it’s tough, hence the UC claim 
    Then they pay you your overpaid tax when employed and deduct it later from UC

    Really can’t be riight in this world.
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Trailblazing
    timotheus123,

    Yes, I'm afraid it is.

    Any refund of income tax, VAT or national insurance (NI) contributions from paid work counts as income. 

    The only thing which might possibly help is that because it counts as earnings, if you get a work allowance, that should be deducted before the refund affects your UC. You'll get a work allowance (essentially a bit of your income you keep before your UC is reduced) if you have children you claim for, or if you have limited capability for work (that would be an official decision reflected in your UC).

    Will
  • timotheus123
    timotheus123 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
    Thanks - so I have to declare it as income?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,139 Championing
    timotheus123 said:
    Thanks - so I have to declare it as income?
    DWP will already know you've had the refund.
  • timotheus123
    timotheus123 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
    Well, universal credit helped for 6 months. That’s my lot !
    They took my start of the 12 month self employed period as Jan - Dec 18. 
    So, the end.
  • timotheus123
    timotheus123 Community member Posts: 6 Listener
    Thank you Gill. You were correct. Self employment is treated differently.

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 273 Empowering
    Thanks for posting that, @timotheus, and good luck with your work in the new year. (I hope you don' t need universal credit again, it's not a benefit that anyone wants to claim).

    Best wishes

    Gill_Scope
  • mustafaraoof
    mustafaraoof Community member Posts: 17 Connected
    I was penalised heavely by UC.
    i received a protective award payment (redundancy) from HMRC .
    UC paid me £0.00  
  • wendy41
    wendy41 Community member Posts: 227 Empowering
    Thanks to this thread I now know what to expect. Instead of a nasty surprise! 
  • wendy41
    wendy41 Community member Posts: 227 Empowering
    Quite agree, ALL IS NOT RIGHT IN THIS WORLD! 
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    Hello @wendy41

    Thanks for your comments. Do you mind me asking a bit more about what you mean in relation to this thread? Have you been through a similar experience?
  • fahadali17
    fahadali17 Community member Posts: 1 Listener
    Evening, Either I missed the opportunity of reading all this thread or its missing. 
    Can I have a help on, if UC takes into consideration for tax which has been repaid from employment.
    Regards
    Fahad
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,005 Championing
    edited September 2022
    fahadali17 said:
    Can I have a help on, if UC takes into consideration for tax which has been repaid from employment.
    A tax refund is taken into account as earnings if the refund is for a tax year in which the claimant was in employment/ self employment.
  • Barapink
    Barapink Community member Posts: 4 Listener

    Hi , does anyone know how many hours can I work and not getting less UC? or how much can I earn a month that doesnt affect my UC. Thank you

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,139 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/880985#Comment_880985

    That will depend on whether or not you have the work allowance. If you don’t then for every £1 of earnings you receive your UC reduces by 55p.
    https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/work-allowance-universal-credit

    See link for information on the work allowance.

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