specialist team for tax credits renewal (merged)

yummymummy2010

I've just phoned the main helpline and have been told to call 0845 600 5263 as my claim has been placed on a "work" list, has anyone else encountered this? It's also quite difficult for me to call between 8 and 5 because of work and the school run.

newmummy123_2

yummymummy2010 wrote: »

I've just phoned the main helpline and have been told to call 0845 600 5263 as my claim has been placed on a "work" list, has anyone else encountered this? It's also quite difficult for me to call between 8 and 5 because of work and the school run.

Thats the specialist team they are telling you to phone yummymummy. The numbers are all the same except last 4 digits. Mine was 0845 600 5044. x

Witter

Hi all, just a quick update. I received the specialist letter but rang main helpline to renew. About a week later i didnt hear anything so decided to ring specialist team they took all my details again. I then got a letter asking me to send my p60, wage slips 09/10, childcare receipts 09/10 and my childcare contract. I didnt keep all receipts or wage slips i have some but not the whole 12 months worth and ive never had a contract with my childcare provider so i just left it and didnt sent them i thought they would just contact my employer and childcare provider to confirm the details. Then i got another letter today saying you have not replyed with the information if we do not hear from you by 27th june we will make a dicision based on the information you have already given us

sorryitsme

Witter wrote: »

Hi all, just a quick update. I received the specialist letter but rang main helpline to renew. About a week later i didnt hear anything so decided to ring specialist team they took all my details again. I then got a letter asking me to send my p60, wage slips 09/10, childcare receipts 09/10 and my childcare contract. I didnt keep all receipts or wage slips i have some but not the whole 12 months worth and ive never had a contract with my childcare provider so i just left it and didnt sent them i thought they would just contact my employer and childcare provider to confirm the details. Then i got another letter today saying you have not replyed with the information if we do not hear from you by 27th june we will make a dicision based on the information you have already given us

You should contact them and explain your situation and ask them to contact employer and childcare direct. I would be in a similar situation to you if they asked me for childcare invoices for the last year.

The worst case situation is that they stop your claim, so in my opinion you should call them asap.

Eventhough my award was finalised last month, after reading the posts on this thread I have spoken to my childcare provider about copy invoices or producing a letter if it is needed in the future.

Witter

sorryitsme wrote: »

You should contact them and explain your situation and ask them to contact employer and childcare direct. I would be in a similar situation to you if they asked me for childcare invoices for the last year.

The worst case situation is that they stop your claim, so in my opinion you should call them asap.

Eventhough my award was finalised last month, after reading the posts on this thread I have spoken to my childcare provider about copy invoices or producing a letter if it is needed in the future.

Ive wrote to my childcare providers head office and requested that they write a letter to confirm what i pay when and how long for but not had reply yet, that was a good couple of week ago. I dont tend to keep the receipts or wage slips ive never been asked to. i have my p60 which will prove my income and they can make contact with childcare provider to confirm what ive already told them. I will be contacting them before 27th june to let them know my situation. Thanks for your advice

TotallyBrassic

Just a quick update! Having rang the specialist team on Monday, and running through the basics of my claim, I have just telephoned back to confirm all ok, and my claim has been finalised, he read out the payments to me over the phone, and confirmed that my final award letter was in the post...so all in all not too stressful at all, though my nerves had been jangling slightly before ringing the number because of some of the posts in here
This letter seems to be having the effect of making people think they have done something wrong, when in actual fact I think HMRC have just failed to communicate the proper reasoning behind the letters...anyway I think it is straightforward double checking and nothing to worry about. x

Pinkpigg

Update from myself also. Having received a renewals specialist team letter back in April and after ringing the main number to be told they knew nothing of this team when I received my renewal pack I rang the normal number to renew, this was on the 26th April, my renewal went through and I received new payments. The on 13th May I received a letter from the renewal specialist team asking me to provide proof of child care costs and my P60 - I sent this information off last week (delay in my getting the info to them due to going into hospital) anyway literally 20 minutes ago I have received my final award notices etc. and my P60 and child care proof of costings back through the post. All done and dusted - I can sleep at night now. On hind sight I should have just phoned the renewal specialist, it would have saved me a lot of anxiety. My advice to people reading these threads, if you received a renewal specialist letter, just ring them and renew via them. It is not an investigation, they are just here to renew claims and verify information being provided. Would like to also thank Taxcreditshelp for the information and help he/she has posted in an attempt to reassure people that nothing sinister is going on.

wingobins

I contacted tax credits earlier on normal helpline number to do my renewal over the phone & also to inform of a change in circumstances. I must have got straight through to the specialist team who really grilled me about lots of info that I am not normally asked and when I asked why all the questions I was told its a new security system in place, but I too felt like I was on trial. He talked so fast I could barely understand him either. I will just have to wait and see if I get a letter in. So beware if you are just phoning the helpline to renew over phone, you may get grilled.

TotallyBrassic

mmmmm....there seem to be a lot of discrepancies here when phoning specialist renewals depending on who you talk to. The guy I dealt with was efficient and to the point, and I wasn't asked anything I hadn't already confirmed on my paper renewal! I wonder if some of it is operators getting a kick from a little power, they probably know customers are rattled because of the letter, some will alleviate our shattered nerves others will heap on the pain. I am still of the opinion that it is in no way a fraud investigation, I think they are just being told from on high to triple check everything...the point I was making previously was not to get too scared to ring the team...your claim won't go through until you have and the longer people leave it the harder it will get
Peace out peeps x

Telfordstar

I had to renew via the specialist team this year and in doing so i renewed and then ended my single claim to start a joint claim with my new partner who moved in. All was fine i recieved my end of claim letter. According to HMRC a new pack was sent out on 25th may 2010, I phoned a few times to be told they would issue another after 10 working days after the 25th, with still no sign of the pack i called again and another was issued for which i am patiently waiting!

Has anyone else had this problem?