Child tax credits suspended?!!

Legacy_user

Hi wondering if anyone can help. I am a lone parent, with two kids under 5, on IS and CTC. I just found out that my Child Tax Credit has been suspended. I didn't receive last weeks payment and presumably won't get tomorrow's. I called up the helpline and they say it is due to getting my bank details wrong? (Although I have not changed accounts or anything). Anyway they took my details again but cannot give me a timescale as to when I will get the tax credits again. Not even a wild guess. Has this happended to anyone else? I've been in the bank to see if they will bounce the last two cheques I wrote and they couldn't tell me............It is a complete nightmare as we are getting the house valued tomorrow, my ex-husband not giving a damn where me and the kids live...

alwaysonthego_2

Go to your local tax office and ask them if they can pay you an emergency giro/payment due to the stopping of the payments causing hardship.

skylight

This exact thing happened to me for my monthly payment on the 1st August (not lone parent so get it monthly). They were not interested that it left me bu**ered and I was also told that it was because my bank account details were wrong - no they are not! I've had the account some time and the last 6 months of payments went in AOK! They would not accept my payment details again and I had to arrange for alternative accounts.

They did offer to pay via giro in the meantime - BUT it took 2 weeks to get this sorted out as I was told there are no time frames for this sort of thing and I would have to wait. Between then, I gave them new account details, it thus cancelled the giro I never got...... In all, it took 3 weeks to get a payment. To rub salt into the wound the payment wasn't even for the full amount I was due on the 1st, about £200 short... They have spreadout the £200 over the next 6 payments to the end of the year.

As you get paid weekly have you thought about asking for giro cheques? Or open a post office account for benefits only, you can only get cash out but its better than nothing, and they open quite quickly (So I am told, but do not know where you open it.)

System

Thanks for your replies.

They weren't interested in helping me either and the phrase about having "no timescales" must be standard.!!! So stressing, even when I said I had the kids to feed they didn't give a damn. :mad: Do they think I am on IS and CTC for a laugh :mad:

[Deleted User]

It has nothing to do with the adviser not giving a damn.

We cannot give timescales because we are not psychic - we do not know how long it will be and if we DID give a timescale (even saying "in a few days") which has not been officially sanctioned by HMRC/TCO, we will be marked down and possibly disciplined for giving out factually incorrect information.


As for the bank details, this can happen sometimes with banks, they will reject the payment for some reason - and deny it to their customers. If a payment is rejected the rest of the payments are suspended until current or new bank details are confirmed.

I am not defending the TCO computer system in any way as it occasionally decides not to pay in to a bank account at all - just pointing out that the banks dont tend to take blame in any circumstance. They will just blame "the government".

skylight

The problem from the recipient point of view, is that to most of us, this money is essential. For whatever reason the payment is bounced its not helpful to be told there are no time frames for it and you'll have to wait. Its frustrating (as I am sure it is for you when I phone 8 times in 3 weeks about the same thing!). But why does a manual payment have to be authorised by another office and this itself takes ages?

I know nothing is simple and this is the first time I have ever had a real issue with the tax credits office. I am lucky that it was just my rent that was late on this occasion.

stargazer59

Im having a similar problem, single mum of one, was sent letter on 18th august saying CTC stopped, last payment 7TH August.

I have phoned and phoned, got advised to claim a Crisis Loan which i did yesterday and received the princely sum of £46 !!!

Phone helpline again today and was told it can take up to 4 weeks to restart the claim, informed them i was having to live on IS and CHB , but they said there is nothing they can do! I have incurred bank charges because of this, and have been unable to pay my rent, so am looking at being given notice.

I asked for a manager to ring me back today, he did and said there is nothing he can do until 4 weeks are up.

[Deleted User]

Stargazer, it sounds as though your claim stopped because you didnt return your annual declaration so this is not the same problem.

It usually takes less than a week for your payments to be re-instated. If it takes longer than 4 weeks they will need to escalate your problem to TCO processing.

If it takes longer than a week you can go to your local enquiry centre to request a hardship payment.

stargazer59

When i spoke to the manager today he said that when he brought my details up on the computer it still showed me as working which i havent been since April when i stopped WTC and claimed IS.

He cant understand why there is a problem with re starting the claim as they have had my annual declaration and sent me the final decision for06/04/07 to 05/04/08.

As i said i was advised to apply for a crisis loan which i got today £46 and i have topay that back at £9 per week

mummytofour

This exact thing happened to me for my monthly payment on the 1st August (not lone parent so get it monthly)

Anybody can get it weekly,Child benefit can only be paid 4 weekly unless your on IS/JSA.

skylight

mummytofour wrote: »

This exact thing happened to me for my monthly payment on the 1st August (not lone parent so get it monthly)

Anybody can get it weekly,Child benefit can only be paid 4 weekly unless your on IS/JSA.

ooooo.. Now that I didn't know. I use CTC as its 4-weekly and the rent is 4-weekly, to pay the rent. It may be better to use OH pay for the rent and change CTC to weekly for food. mmmm