specialist team for tax credits renewal (merged)

ellasmummy_2

TaxCreditHelp wrote: »

There are continuous background checks that go on throughout the year to make sure that everyone is receiving the correct Tax Credit award and to ensure that those who fraudulently claim are caught out. While these checks are not part of the current exercise, when you call the Specialist Renewals team they will check every detail on your Tax Credit award just to make sure everything is in order and hopefully limit the risk of an overpayment occuring later in the year.

surely if tc are doing checks through the year and think something is not correct they would contact the person to check it out and not just let it go on and keep paying them more money

harry7075

Taxcredithelp the letter was addressed to my wife so is she the only one they'll deal with or as it's a joint claim can I phone and deal with it! Also I'm on incapacity benefit and haven't received the letter regarding the amount that is liable for tax so can I still phone?

kaylzbob

harry7075 wrote: »

Taxcredithelp the letter was addressed to my wife so is she the only one they'll deal with or as it's a joint claim can I phone and deal with it! Also I'm on incapacity benefit and haven't received the letter regarding the amount that is liable for tax so can I still phone?

They are trying to cut costs this year by only sending out 1 letter to joint households but either person can phone. Usually every year we are innundated with calls from people complaining that we are wrecking the environment by sending out 2 letters, fair enough!! I'm not 100% on this but from previous calls I think you can actually contact DWP and ask them for the amount, don't quote me on that though!!

rightmadam

I ll be doing mine the normal way i do every year and have nothing to hide and my review proved that last year.I don t think like myself, people are worried because they are dodgy or being fraudelent due to the letter they ve received but just confused about this specialist letter and why they have been chosen to receive it.There as been so many reasons on here why the letter as gone to certain people,eg,that your computer or N.I chosen or because your claim is high,mine isn t and from a few comments on here neither is some others.I had a full review and everything was checked then and ended in November clear so obviously i m going to wonder why i ve been sent this sort of letter and loads of my friends/family haven't.I just think at first the letter looked dodgy because it wasn t well presented and out of the blue and no warning of it,etc and then you just wonder why you ve been chosen.No-one is fraudelent on this thread just confused and worried why they like myself received this sort of letter!!

harry7075

My only concern about renewing the way we've done previously is will it flag up an alert on the system and cause them to do a full review?

Also did anyone get a similar letter in July, last year, asking them to phone a helpline to ensure their award was correct? I did phone and explained we phoned only a week or so previously to tell off a change of circumstances! I was informed by the young man then that services wasn't compulsarly(sp) but only to ensure that awards were correct and to avoid overpayment!

TaxCreditHelp

Nay_nay wrote: »

Question to miss112. Do you think they asked alot of questions because you rang the specialist team late? And out curiosity what kind of questions did they ask about your childcare?

As a matter of course, when you call the Specialist Renewals team you will be asked questions about every details of your Tax Credit award before the details of your renewal are taken. This is part of the exercise we are doing this year to make sure the information we have is correct and to hopefully avoid potential overpayments later in the year by us finalising the award for 2009/2010 with incorrect information.

TaxCreditHelp

ellasmummy wrote: »

surely if tc are doing checks through the year and think something is not correct they would contact the person to check it out and not just let it go on and keep paying them more money

If, as a result, of a check Tax Credits suspect something to be incorrect on the award they will work to resolve it and correct the error, or end the award if there is a fraudulent claim, however the checks carried out by the system and by processing and compliance staff are not comprehensive for every award. The exercise we are currently doing will help us to ensure your award is as close to 100% correct as possible, and hopefully avoid any potential future overpayment.

TaxCreditHelp

harry7075 wrote: »

Taxcredithelp the letter was addressed to my wife so is she the only one they'll deal with or as it's a joint claim can I phone and deal with it! Also I'm on incapacity benefit and haven't received the letter regarding the amount that is liable for tax so can I still phone?

As long as the Tax Credit award is a joint claim, we will accept information from either customer. And DWP will be able to provide you with details of your total taxable benefit income for 2009/2010. If unable to obtain this detail from their helpline, your local Job Centre Plus should also be able to provide you with this information.

Brodiebobs

I posted a few pages back as i had received this letter a few weeks ago. Received my renewal pack on weds and phoned the number on the letter twice weds, three times thurs, and once friday, and it just rang no answer. Phoned normal number thurs and fri and was on hold upwards of 5 mins on my mobile, 0845 number so i hung up.
I've just filled in the renewal form and posted it, do you think this will be ok?

AfterDark

TaxCreditHelp wrote: »

Unfortunately the information that was used to populate the letters was taken from the National Tax Credits system back in January... this was unavoidable due to the timescales involved. I would recommend you call the Specialist Renewals team and they should help you to finalise your previous joint award. Should they be unable to take your information they will refer you to the main Tax Credit helpline but it would be best to call the renewals team first.

And the overpayment on your joint claim will be dealt with differently. An adviser will probably contact you to discuss methods of repayment... but you will only be liable for 50% of the overpayment.

Thanks, will be taking on 100% of the overpayment as most of it is due to the overlap between me telling them my x had left and they back new claim ect. Will they let me repay over 24 months rather than 12 ?