Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the number of people who have had their tax credits stopped and subsequently reinstated by Concentrix in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

On 16^th September I responded to a number of parliamentary questions on the number of mandatory reconsiderations requested by tax credit claimants this year.

Where a discrepancy is detected, claimants are given 30 days to contact HMRC or provide the relevant information. If after 30 days HMRC has had no contact, tax credit payments are either suspended or reduced. HMRC then gives the claimant a further 30 days to contact HMRC before making a decision on the tax credits award using all the available information.