Money In Your Bank That's Not Yours

[KeaneFan]

My mum recently had well over £1500 put into her bank account and when she looked on her online statement it said next to it that it was Working Tax Credits, however my mum has not worked since 2005 part time. So she was a bit baffled as to why they put that amount into her account, so anyway she decided to not spend it as she was worried that it was an error so she later contacted the DSS to ask them and when she saw the woman in the interview about it she was told that it's not her's and that if she spends any of it she would have to pay it all back. So what she wants to knows is, does she have the right to keep it even though it appears to be a mistake on their side? And also is any money that goes into your account (whether it's an error or not) rightfully yours and if you spend it can the working tax benefit place demand it back and take legal action against you if you didn't give it back? Cos after all it was their mistake. I mean they shouldn't do that to people by making errors as big as that should they and when my mum saw that in her account she got a bit excited as you would, but she is sensible and made sure that she kept herself right by checking it out first as she didn't want to end up years down the line or even months ahead get a letter telling her that she has to pay it back so what is everyone's advice on this situation, what would you do if money that big was put into your account which you felt was wrong?

[sara3]

it's money meant for people in financial need. okay, they made a mistake but they are (mostly!) only human!

she will have to pay it back but if she play acts, may possibly get a small amount of compensation for her "inconvenience".

[hc4361]

Money paid in to your account by mistake is never rightfully yours and has to be paid back.

[hc4361]

http://news.bbc.co.uk.../magazine/6966683.stm

[factor-fiction]

Some needy person has not got their money because it has gone to your mum's account in error. It was probably a typing error by a low paid HMRC clerk, but it could also have been an error by the bank or by the intended recipient who may have quoted an incorrect account number. It's easily done.
But the reason doesn't matter- it was a genuine error. If your mum accidentally transferred money online to the wrong person she would expect the money back, i'm sure.

[dzug]

The fact that it was 'their mistake' is often rolled out as an excuse to keep money.

Biggest misconception out - they are entitled to correct that type of error. At best you have to pay it back, at worst you'd get prosecuted for theft.

[lotsafun]

hi something similar happened to my friend and she found 1200 in her account, she got excited and spent it that very weekend. S he is now having to pay every penny back! your mam need s to phone tax credit and arrange to pay it back straight away :)

[daffy654]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8307059.stm

[redcrx]

if your mum accidentally paid some of her money into a strangers account by putting a digit in by error then do you think your mum would deserve to lose that money due to her error?

[KeaneFan]

Hey there, well she found out that it is actualy hers so that's it solved. She hasn't worked since 2006 although she had it in her ind that it was 2005 therefore thinking that they made a mistake, but no it was right as my mum had filled in a working tax credits form back in Jan 06 as that was when she began a part time job and that is what the tax office have her down as working in the year 2006 but as my mum thought it was 2005 that's why she got a bit puzzled as to why she got all that, but today she found out it is hers so that's that. Cheers for all the responses though!

[themas]

Something is very odd here. There is no way she should be getting a lump sum working tax credit payment now for 2006. The records for the 2006-07 tax year will have been closed in summer 2007. If she claimed in Jan 2006 her claim should have been dealt with then & she should have been paid then - with payments stopping when she left the job. The only way this payment could be correct is if Tax Credit Office failed to process her 2006 claim, did not pay her any money then & have now (very belatedly!!) found her claim & dealt with it.

I suggest you should look into this further to get definite confirmation of the circumstances - because (despite what she has now been told) she could be asked to repay the money if it really isn't hers.