Tax Credits Are Stupid (reprise)

"£5472.27 is due from you now."

That's what an innocent-looking letter I received out of the blue the other day from HM Revenue and Customs said inside it.  I mean who has over £5000 at their disposal to give to any old Tom Dick or Hannibal that asks for it, there and then?

I was so cross I decided to buy a car.

You may remember that back in the mists of time I was having a rant at the stupid tax credit system that gives well off people money for no reason?  Well now they're asking for mine back.  Fair enough in principle, but annoying because it's for an  illogical reason.

My issue with their system was that they are happy to give you £100s a month no matter how much you are receiving in maintenance from your ex.  If it's on offer, it is almost impossible to resist taking it.  Even though your ex might be a millionaire paying you £10,000s a month.  You can top this up with even more £1000s in child tax credits from the government as your maintenance payments are not taxable income.

In my case, an uncle has died and left me some money; but it's all being used to pay off inheritance duties, so I don't actually see it - yet, at any rate.  So in principle I don't receive any of that money to live off, and therefore still need assistance from the government.  In practice, perfectly obviously it has always been ridiculous for me to be eligible for government assistance in the first place.

So I'm not saying "Poor Me".  I'm simply saying "The tax credit system is really stupid and annoying, badly run, illogical, lacking in common sense, and scandalously wasteful."