Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 154 of the HMRC Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17, how much in tax credits overpayments is written off due to the sums being time-barred under the provisions of the Limitation Act 1980 (or equivalent legislation applying in Scotland and Northern Ireland) in each tax year from 2013-14 to 2016-17 inclusive.
The Limitation Act 1980 does not prevent HMRC recovering tax credits overpayment. We can ask the customer to repay the debt regardless of how old it is. The Act only restricts the time in which HMRC can take court proceedings to recover the debt.