CPAG is the leading charity campaigning for the abolition of child poverty in the UK and for a better deal for low-income families and children.   Tax credits project  Tax credits factsheets Training courses FREE tax credits training for Local Authorities Publications Online services Donate Join CPAG CPAG home Contact us          This project is funded by the Scottish Government	CPAG in Scotland Tax Credits E-Bulletin May 2010 Dear Colleague, Welcome to the May 2010 edition of CPAG in Scotland's tax credits e-bulletin keeping you up-to-date with tax credits news and developments. Contents CPAG in Scotland news and events        - Tax credits training         - CPAG in Scotland Annual Conference: Welfare Rights 2010        - Tax credits factsheets Tax credits news                     - Child Trust Funds axed          - Energy Assistance Package         - Annual report on tax credits         - Consolidated tax credits legislation CPAG in Scotland news and events Tax credits training  Tax credits – appeals, overpayments and complaints 16 September 2010, Glasgow (10am - 4pm) This course aims to help advisers understand how overpayments can arise and how to challenge decisions. It is suitable for experienced advisers as well as those with little experience of tax credits. The course looks at: The law on decisions, revisions and appeals End-of-year and in-year overpayments Recovery of overpayments Challenging overpayments How to appeal Making a complaint Level Standard     Tutor Mark Willis SNS   3.5 and 4.3  CPD   5 hours Course fee: £93 for CABx, £108 for voluntary, colleges and housing associations and £153 for statutory. To book a place click here or contact us on 0141 552 3303.   CPAG in Scotland Annual Conference: Welfare Rights 2010 Friday 18 June 2010, 10am to 4pm, Glasgow £110 per delegate (limited places) With the dust settling from the UK general election and Scottish elections less than a year away this conference provides an opportunity to take stock of the implications for advisers and find out about the latest developments in benefits and tax credits. Come and join advisers, leading politicians and welfare reform campaigners to debate how the Scottish Government has supported welfare rights services and their role in tackling poverty and how the new UK Government will approach the welfare system. The annual conference for welfare rights workers, other advisers and policy workers in Scotland. For information about conference workshops and speakers click here. To book a place please print off our conference programme and complete the booking form.  Tax credits factsheets The latest in our series of factsheets covering aspects of the tax credits system have been sent out to everyone on our regular mailing list. To request printed copies please email acarr@cpagscotland.org.uk Online versions of all the factsheets in this series have been updated and checked from April 2010 and are available to download on our website. NEW Tax credits for lone parents covers issues which are particularly relevant to lone parents but may also affect other claimants, such as interaction with benefits and starting work NEW Tax credits and flexible working expands the previous leaflet on term-time and seasonal workers to cover a range of other situations when working patterns vary Tax credits news Child Trust Funds axed The Coalition Government has announced that Child Trust Funds are to be abolished for new claimants from 1 January 2011. Money already in existing accounts will remain but there will be no further government contributions. Subject to legislation, the Government intends to reduce government contributions for new babies from August 2010 from £250 to £50 to children in better off families, and from £500 to £100 to children in lower income (maximum child tax credit) families. It will stop government contributions at age 7 after August 2010. The Revenue will stop issuing Child Trust Fund vouchers altogether from January 2011.  The recently increased payments for disabled children will be paid for a child who is entitled to disability living allowance at any time in 2010-11, but from 2011-12 onwards, the Government intends that these payments will also stop. Government Announcement on Child Trust Funds (PDF 25K) Energy Assistance Package The Scottish Government has extended the qualifying conditions for additional help with heating from 10 May. The Energy Assistance Package can include help with insulation, draught-proofing and central heating. The extended rules allow families with a child under 16 who are receiving child tax credit at more than the family element to potentially qualify for new or replaced central heating. Previously, this was only available to families with a child under 5 or a disabled child under 16 with an annual income of £17,474 or less. Child tax credit at more than the family element is more than £10.50 a week, or more than £21.00 a week if there is a baby under the age of one in the family. There is no fixed upper income cut-off point as the child tax credit award also depends on circumstances, such as the number of children, disabilities and childcare costs. The additional help is available to families in private rented or owner occupied accommodation which has inefficient or no central heating. Energy advice and further information is available to everyone from the Energy Saving Trust. Annual report on tax credits The Revenue’s 2008-09 annual report to the Treasury on tax credits was published recently. The report contains statistics required by the Tax Credits Act, as follows: 5,915,000 tax credit awards 43,334 enquiries conducted 412 penalties imposed 123 prosecutions and 114 convictions for offences in connection with tax credits Consolidated tax credits legislation As mentioned in March and April e-bulletins, there have been a lot of amendments to tax credits regulations recently. The main legislation, up to date as of April 2010, is now available from the Revenue in PDF format. If you wish to unsubscribe from all our welfare rights e-bulletins click here. If this e-bulletin has been forwarded to you and you wish to subscribe to it click here. We would welcome feedback on the e-bulletin, please contact us at acarr@cpagscotland.org.uk with your comments. Thank you. ^ back to top Child Poverty Action Group is a charity registered in England and Wales (registration number 294841) and in Scotland (registration number SC039339). 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