Today's Times has an editorial to the effect that the UK tax credits for lower-paid workers (sorry, that's "Gordon Brown's tax credits" -- there must be an election coming) are more trouble than they're worth. This may well be true, but I'm not sure that it justifies the same paper's front page story today, which is also about tax credits.
Apparently a lot of people who were overpaid the tax credits (either through official incompetence, misunderstanding of the rules or outright fraud) have been forced to repay the government. However, because the tax authorities did not properly notify everyone whose claims were under investigation, many people mat be able to appeal successfully against the demand for repayment.
The Times illustrates the story with a front-page picture of a pleasant-looking woman who has successfully won such an appeal. She doesn't dispute that she was overpaid, but seems to have no qualms about keeping the money. Amazingly the Times helped with her appeal, which I think makes it an accessory to crime. Needless to say, the lady looks happy almost to the point of smugness. I hope she'll understand if those of us whose tax money she's pocketed are a bit less happy.
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