A FAMILY of six is being asked to survive on the equivalent of only £3.50 a day each, because blundering tax chiefs are wrongly claiming back tens of thousands of pounds, they said.

Anishia Walshaw, 33, said she and her family were struggling to live, and had to rely on her parents to fund their Christmas.

She and her husband, Johnathan, 26, are furious at HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), over what they said has been a catalogue of errors with their tax credits, dating back to 2003.

Mrs Walshaw, of Wharram-le-Street, near Malton, said she is unable to afford new school shoes for her children, can scarcely afford to feed them, and has had to use an open fire instead of using central heating in the house.

She said: "To feed a family of six on shopping is £100 a week easily, and I just do not have it. We cannot even afford the petrol to go to Asda."

She added: "I am furious. I have so many emotions going on right now. It's just unbelievable that nothing is being done."

HMRC has sent the couple a series of bills, totalling more than £25,000 and for up to £10,000 at a time - money Mrs Walshaw says they simply do not have, and indeed have never received.

The HMRC is now deducting it from their regular payments.

The problems date back to 2003, when Mr and Mrs Walshaw married. Mrs Walshaw believes the change in her circumstances was mis-recorded by the HMRC, and they have since repeatedly based her entitled credits on misinformation.

The mum-of-four has received a letter each year since 2004 informing her she has no children and is unmarried, causing HMRC to reclaim money they said was wrongly paid to her.

The family's total income is now £148.25 a week, consisting of £76 in tax credits, £13.25 in income support, and £59 incapacity benefit for ex-soldier Jonathan, who was injured while serving in Iraq in 2003.

Mrs Walshaw said: "It's impossible to live, and how the Government expects us to live on that is beyond me."

She said their tax credits are supposed to total £168 a week.

"We are not getting by at the moment. We are struggling badly. My parents have been helping out a lot lately, but I cannot keep relying on them."

She said Christmas had been "heartbreaking" and "a nightmare" for her, Johnathan and their children Christopher, 14, Benjamin, eight, Kirstie, six and Cody, two.

She said: "My parents got most of the things for the children. Me and my husband could not get anything for each other. My parents did it all for me - they got the food and the presents. It makes you feel extremely bad that you cannot buy presents for your own children."

Mrs Walshaw contacted her MP in Norfolk, where she used to live. He brought about a temporary respite, but the problems have resurfaced.

Mrs Walshaw contacted The Press after we reported the case of York mum Julie Acaster, who has endured similar problems. She has been told she owes them £3,500 and is seeking legal advice to end the trouble.

A spokesman for HMRC said they never discussed individual cases with the media, but promised to look into it.