specialist team for tax credits renewal (merged)

Numptytoes

I found the process very simple this year. Even with using Specialist Tax Credit team. It is just that they took a lot longer than usual.

sillyme08

I renewed my tax credits at the beginning of May via post and I am still awaiting to hear anything back, when I call them I am told everytime that it is still being processed!

Can anyone tell me if it is normal to wait this long??

fivealive_2

sillyme08 wrote: »

I renewed my tax credits at the beginning of May via post and I am still awaiting to hear anything back, when I call them I am told everytime that it is still being processed!

Can anyone tell me if it is normal to wait this long??

I am going crazy waiting for my Tax Credit Award Notice as I need it to apply for School Clothing Grant/Free School Meals/Educational Maintenance Allowance; these are all new claims and they won't accept estimated or last years award notices. I have been claiming Tax Credits for 5 years without any problems or glitches. I renewed my claim on the 18th May 2010 over the phone to the normal number but my claim still HAS NOT BEEN PROCESSED. I have phoned 3 times and I speak to a different person who gives the same answers;
"Your claim may not be processed for several more weeks."
"There is nothing that can be done to speed up this process"
I then ask "What is the problem this year?" and am told "I am not aware of any problem."
I ask "Are there many other people like me waiting a ridiculously long time for their claim to be updated?" and am told "I have no information about that."
I am normally quite good at dealing with officialdom but I am so frustrated and worried about missing the deadlines for applying for the School clothing Grant and the EMA. :wall:

sillyme08

fivealive wrote: »

I am going crazy waiting for my Tax Credit Award Notice as I need it to apply for School Clothing Grant/Free School Meals/Educational Maintenance Allowance; these are all new claims and they won't accept estimated or last years award notices. I have been claiming Tax Credits for 5 years without any problems or glitches. I renewed my claim on the 18th May 2010 over the phone to the normal number but my claim still HAS NOT BEEN PROCESSED. I have phoned 3 times and I speak to a different person who gives the same answers;
"Your claim may not be processed for several more weeks."
"There is nothing that can be done to speed up this process"
I then ask "What is the problem this year?" and am told "I am not aware of any problem."
I ask "Are there many other people like me waiting a ridiculously long time for their claim to be updated?" and am told "I have no information about that."
I am normally quite good at dealing with officialdom but I am so frustrated and worried about missing the deadlines for applying for the School clothing Grant and the EMA. :wall:

Thank you for replying, I was beginning to think it was just me. I know that they recieved my renewal on the 5th May. When I call I am told the same as you. Here's hoping it's over and done with soon. Can you keep me posted?

ljs74

fivealive and sillyme08 your renewal is probably going thro specialist team if you ring again and ask to see if marker on your file if there is the it is the st and they can put you thro to the relevant number.that in my opinion only.

sillyme08

ljs74 wrote: »

fivealive and sillyme08 your renewal is probably going thro specialist team if you ring again and ask to see if marker on your file if there is the it is the st and they can put you thro to the relevant number.that in my opinion only.

Thanks, I already asked if there was a problem or any marks and was told no... What is this specialist team? Would it really take 9 weeks to sort?

ljs74

basicly they check all info on renewal and system will not process your award until they speak with you and remove the marker or you send in the info. Not all members on the normal helpline know where to look for this marker but if you ask them to check household manager,or something like that,they will then be able to see. i only know this info cos i have gone thro every post on this forum lol, see quotes from taxcredit help posts think around page 12 or just go thro all of his/her comments you'l know then what to ask them to check.

Numptytoes

sillyme08 wrote: »

I renewed my tax credits at the beginning of May via post and I am still awaiting to hear anything back, when I call them I am told everytime that it is still being processed!

Can anyone tell me if it is normal to wait this long??

Hi I renewed at beginning of June via post and mine was being dealt with by specialist team, I have had my provisional and final award through. Yours does seem a long time, have you rung them?

Numptytoes

Numptytoes wrote: »

Hi I renewed at beginning of June via post and mine was being dealt with by specialist team, I have had my provisional and final award through. Yours does seem a long time, have you rung them?

Sorry just seen you have rung them, can't they tell you what info they are waiting for? I never got asked for any proof of anything, it was just processed simply.

Numptytoes

ljs74 wrote: »

basicly they check all info on renewal and system will not process your award until they speak with you and remove the marker or you send in the info. Not all members on the normal helpline know where to look for this marker but if you ask them to check household manager,or something like that,they will then be able to see. i only know this info cos i have gone thro every post on this forum lol, see quotes from taxcredit help posts think around page 12 or just go thro all of his/her comments you'l know then what to ask them to check.

Hi that isn't true. Mine was done through specialist team. I never had to speak to them, I did it all by post (I spoke to them on phone once and they said it was being processed but they never asked me for any of the details), and I didn't give them any proof of anything as they didn't ask! Mine was simple.