You should contact the customer services manager of the Tax Credits Office in Preston or call the tax credits helpline and ask for a top up payment because of the hardship this is causing to you and your family. This will effectively lead to them recovering the payments at a reduced rate. A CAB adviser can help you do this. Each case is considered on an individual basis, but the Inland Revenue can decide you shouldn't be asked to repay part or all of an overpayment if you were paid too much because of a mistake they made, and it was reasonable for you to think your award was right, or if it would cause hardship to you or your family if you had to pay the tax credit back. They may also accept payment over a longer period.

You can ask the Inland Revenue to send you their code of practice on overpayments. This says they'll take into account your income and savings, your essential living expenses and other liabilities such as mortgage and other debts, how long it'll take you to repay the overpayment, whether paying what you owe will mean you can't afford essential services like gas, electricity or water, and whether you have any children under five, or a chronically ill or disabled family member whose health could be affected by having to repay the debt.

Contact your local CAB as soon as you can for more detailed advice and help with sorting this out.