£80 compensation are they having a laugh?

carlih1

Hi

I have been writing and writing and writing to tax credits regarding a situation they made in sept 2004. They basically stopped my tax credits until april 2005. I had interim payments made but these were sporadic and probably only covered two months and not the full amount, i was left to strunglle with a one year old and four year old to support (not working).

I am still trying to get some sort of compensation out of them, my local mp has written to them and this morning they wrote saying that they are going to give me a cheque for £80 in view of the outlay i have had and my stress etc.

Are these people having a laugh. They threw me into debt made myself and my family suffer over christmas time. I have had exorbitant charges from numerous credit companies and nearly lost my home and car. And they think that £80 is acceptable to repay me, even though they have caused debt of nearly £4000 plus charges????

Is there anything further i can do about this i am very angry. and just see it as patronisation.

Thanks rant over

carli

fatblokexl

the £80 comp is pretty much standard and is really only a gesture of good will for delays,phone call costs, stamps for letters you may have written.

do you know if you got the full amount of the award in that year, regardless of how they made the payments?

(have a look at the finalised award notice for 03-04 for the award total and check this against the payments that were sent to you, either by bank credit or giro)

in general terms if they have paid you what you were entitled to then thats all they are bound to do. the fact is the manner in which they paid it to you is neither here nor there.
i would certainly send the comp back with a stern letter (endorsed by your MP) as to the derisory amount of comp and say you want it increased.

if you have any evidence of charges,phone bills etc that show you have paid out more than they have compensated you for then attch copies of these as well.

as with any form of comp, never accept the first offer

carlih1

Hi,

thanx for the advice, the fact of the matter is they got it wrong. They didn't pay me enough that year and admitted their mistake, i will be writing a strongly worded letter back to them. the fact that they have offered compensation in the first place is a start.

carli