CTC Nightmare

stargazer59

Thank you for that information, my MP has been chasing themfor 2 weeks now and each time they gave a different response. I really cant understand why they wont pay me the lump sum.

I will sit quietly later and write a letter of complaint as you suggest.

Thank you

skintas_2

ive had trouble with them too, i had a claim, than august my partner left for a few weeks, when i claimed again, they awarded me full reward, i owe from previous claim, so now they make a payment on a certain day, the overpayment team take a payment on the same day so im no better off, and in same situation before

stargazer59

They really dont understand that if you no savings , when you say you have no money, you have no money lol

Well its cost me my rented house now, so i plan on letting the landlord keep the deposit, thats over half of what i owe him, arrange to pay the rest in installments, move away from this dead seaside town, hopefully get help with deposit scheme, and get back into work!

Mind you , i expect they would mess up WTC if i claim again when back in work!

System

Firstly did you ever find out why your payments were stopped in the first place? If they told your MP they needed your 07/08 income than that would lead me to believe that they never received your annual renewal and that would tally with your payments ceasing.

Secondly your local HMRC Enquiry Centre would never issue a hardship payment to someone other than you. 2 forms of identification are required before a payment is issued. One of these has to be photographic and the other something with your name and address such as a bank statement or utility bill.

Thirdly since you are now back in payment it might be worth your while making an appointment for your local HMRC Enquiry centre so that the staff there can go through your award in front of you and check that all details. That might shed some light on what has happened re your missing payments. Again 2 forms of ID will be required before they access your computer record. I should point out that TCO might have decided to spread the missing payments over the rest of the tax year.

stargazer59

They have given different reasons to both myself and my MP, first they hadnt received my renewal form, then that they needed to check whether i was working or on income support(although they knew this as another helpline adviser told me it was on the screen in front of him,) then that they needed my income details . then that it would be back in payment in 48 hours, then 4 weeks, they have now decided to spread the payments, no help to me as my LL wanted a lump sum or hes giving me notice! Mp dealing with it on my behalf as they have messed me about so much.

welshmaiden

Hi im not sure how long you have to be on benefits for to get this but one possible solution i can think of is to apply for a budgeting loan off the income support. if it is approved then you could use that to clear your rent arrears. i got a loan earlier this year interest free of just over 700 pounds and have to pay back 10 pounds a week. i hope this helps. i know its not ideal but at least it will help clear your rent arrears and maybe bank charges to get your bank account back into the black.
the tax credit system is awfull i had problems last year with them and they mistakenly stopped my benefit and i had to reapply took seven weeks to sort it all out. i say bring back the old system. it worked much more smoothly. now its a shambles.
i had to live on just my is and cb and would have literally starved if i hadnt had a large chest freezer full of food.
the only problem with loan is that can take four to five weeks to sort out but it may be enough to keep your landlord at bay.
something else i learned with tax credits is whenever you send in a new claim always send it recorded delivery. its amazing how fast they will find a claim when you tell them you sent it recorded.

stargazer59

Thanks for that, but sadly ihave not been on IS long enough yet!

Sadly i think i will have to just deal with things as they come now, but i will definitely be writing a complaint, luckily i have all the e mails from my MP to show what we were told and when.

stargazer59

UPDATE!!!

My Mps wife has persuaded them to pay me £174 lump sum, but they say that i cant have the rest as they have taken it for an overpayment of £264.

I have not been advised of an overpayment and was assured each time i spoke to the helpline, including a manager that once they had sorted my claim i would get all those weeks payments back.

Is this right?

Can they do this?