Tax Credits Annual Review Letter for 2009-10

mossy

Hi, I inputted mine and my husbands tax returns last night and now have our final income figures for the tax year 2009-10.

Unfortunately we didn't earn as much as we had advised the tax credit folks we would do (better to be underpaid than over!!) so I phoned them up today to confirm our final income figures. I had forgotten that they won't take your details until they've sent you out the annual review letter....grrr.

They told me that they'll send out the letters from next week up until the middle of June. As we'll end up being entitled to more credits for 2009-10 than we have received I'd really like to get the figures finalised so that they can change the payments for the new tax year, as it would really help to have that extra money each month and know what it's going to be as soon as poss for my budgeting.

So here is the question. Does anyone know how they send out their batches of review letters, i.e Surname, area etc.

It's just a little frustrating as we have the figures and while I appreciate they've stopped letting people fill out the details online because of fraud it is sooooo frustrating that we can't give our details over the phone now. :mad: I actually think in the past I've managed to have a good idea of the exact income just before the end of the tax year and phoned in through just before the 5th April so that we didn't have to wait until June to advise them, but I've been so snowed under with life and stuff I didn't think to do it.

Saying that obviously I don't make a habit of telling them we are going to earn loads more than we actually do each year, but I have been overpaid in the past and so now I'm always cautious and make sure I don't get overpaid again, the downside being the current situation we're in now, where I need to wait until their antiquated system sends out a letter to say I can tell them the income details that I've already advised the tax man of.

Okay rant over, ultimately I shouldn't really be getting stressed about it, I'm sure we'll have enough money each month until it's sorted but being a slight control freak it would be nice to be able to know and work out my monthly budget.

I know it's a long shot. But maybe someone out there knows how they work out what order they send the review letters out in, so that at least I'll have a better idea of how long I'll need to wait before the annual review letter arrives. :A

bobbybuttons

Hi,
I'm not sure when they send them out but it would be good to know as my partners wage suddenly dropped half way through this year and we have earnt £7000 less than what we told them and we are due a nice potential payment as we have 3 children BUT we cannot get this though until we have these forms, which is a little annoying as we know the figures now.

moomoomama27

you can update your figures at any time, it takes about 4 weeks for them to apply the new rate but you don't have to wait until the pack comes out to get your 2010/11 rate.

I phoned them on the 6th as like you we will earn less this yr than last, and they processed our new weekly rate over the phone, we just have to wait for the pack to phone in our final figures!

bobbybuttons

You can update your figures for this year I did this the other day and gave them an estimate for this year 2010-2011. I called them on tuesday and my new award has already been generated so they seem to be working fairly quickly, just wish they could work a little quicker on getting the declatation forms sent out so that our potential payment can be paid.

mossy

She said we could update our figures for the new tax year, but we couldn't change last years figures until we get the annual review letter. We just have a yearly figure rather than weekly, as we're both self employed freelance so each week/month can be very different.

It's last years figures that I want to get taken into consideration as they will make a difference to 2010-11 awards value.

I have thought about waiting a week and then phoning up and saying I've had my annual review letter and I'm phoning to confirm the details, however, I don't know how their batch annual review system works and whether they'll no if I've had the letter or not.

Might be worth a try...

mossy

Thanks for your posts, I know this probably sounds strange given the situation but I want to keep our figures as they are for 2010-11 because I'm sure we'll earn more this year. So in that respect I don't want them to change 2010-11.

It's the 2009-10 shortfall that I'd love for them to work out asap so that they can add it on to this years awards payments. If that makes sense....I just don't understand WHY we have to wait for the review letters if we have finalised and confirmed accounts which have been submitted to HMRC on our tax returns.

Bobbybuttons I feel you're pain!! It really doesn't make any sense why they can't take last year's figures from the 6th April, what difference does a piece of paper asking for the details make... :mad: Hope you enjoy the extra money...when they finally get the review letter out to you so that you can tell them about it!!

moomoomama27

I see now! So you want your underpayment, I know it sucks, we have to wait until the review pack to get our underpayment too. I think you should be able to do it once you have the paperwork!

As for the way they get sent out, I was once told by someone from IR that it depends on when you finalised the previous award. So if you got it in in the month of April, you should get your pack in April, but if you waited until June/Juy you'll get it later!?

But then does anything IR say mean anything??

bobbybuttons

you will find if there was a shortfall they usually pay it in a lump sum as in my case, they will not add it to this years award (i dont think they will anyway)

bobbybuttons

hopefully when we get the declaration pack and they pay us our potential payment we may be able to eat again lol

NEH

They are quite good at back dating not much help i know...

We got our award notice last year, looked at the first two pages and thought well we're not entitled to anything so left it. It wasn't until we were at the CAB asking about something else that they told us the Tax lot had got it wrong and estimated our income (which was on page 4 which as the CAB said we did well to get to page 2) . So i rang them even though it was past the review stage and they backdated it...I have just had to inform them of our new figures yesterday and they have updated them....I feel your pain though, my hubby is self employed and you try convincing them that yes your husband does work 40 hours a week and his income is nothing at the moment. Thought I was going to have to explain the recession to her...

bobbybuttons

I had that too, when i said my partners income had dropped to like hardly anything and he was working 40 odd hours a week, he had to take a major cut as he is a director of a company and decided to pay himself less so the business would survive, we have been paying debts and feeding 3 children on £100 a week for 8 months now! its been mad and it makes it even madder that we have a payment waiting for us but we cant have it until we get these forms!