Tax credits wanting A LOT of documents/proof

AsknAnswer2

looby75 wrote: »

she's going to have a real problem then because they were married for 8 years (lived together for 10) so a lot of the bills etc are in either his name or joint names....surely so soon after a break up that will be the case for most people.

My ex's name was on the council tax bill as I hadn't been issued with with a new one at the point they asked for the information. I included legal letters which confirmed the seperation.

looby75

AsknAnswer2 wrote: »

My ex's name was on the council tax bill as I hadn't been issued with with a new one at the point they asked for the information. I included legal letters which confirmed the seperation.

was that as a start of divorce proceeding or did you specifically have to have "separation papers" drawn up?

AsknAnswer2

No. I got my solicitor to write him a letter advising him to stop his behaviour toward me otherwise I'd be getting a restraining order, and another one offering contact with the children. The letters mentioned the date of seperation and made clear to him that although I had no problem with him seeing the children, and was extending the offer to set up contact arrangements, that I did not wish to reconcile my relationship with him, so (basically) stop stalking and harrassing me, and making threats when I refuse to give in!

If your friend has any agreement drawn up either through a solicitor or through another agency (like family mediation etc) for contact arrangements with the children, perhaps this would suffice as proof of the seperation if this is what they are after.

looby75

AsknAnswer2 wrote: »

No. I got my solicitor to write him a letter advising him to stop his behaviour toward me otherwise I'd be getting a restraining order, and another one offering contact with the children. The letters mentioned the date of seperation and made clear to him that although I had no problem with him seeing the children, and was extending the offer to set up contact arrangements, that I did not wish to reconcile my relationship with him, so (basically) stop stalking and harrassing me, and making threats when I refuse to give in!

If your friend has any agreement drawn up either through a solicitor or through another agency (like family mediation etc) for contact arrangements with the children, perhaps this would suffice as proof of the seperation if this is what they are after.

thanks that's really useful to know, he did go round to talk about maintenance for their daughter tonight. I wonder if getting some kind of agreement drawn up about that and access would be enough proof.

mossy

nottslass wrote: »

Housing Benefit should still asses her claim on her current income and then adjust it when her Tax credits award is sorted (any back dated tax credits paid as a lump sum should then be treated as capital)

I know she must have a lot on her plate at the moment but as nottslass said you can put a claim in for housing benefit. You don't need to get tax credits to receiving housing benefits so the fact that her tax credit claim hasn't been sorted out yet doesn't mean she can't claim/receive housing benefit.

She needs to get her claim in for housing benefit as soon as possible, and when her tax credits are sorted out she can update her income figures. Housing benefit normally takes a couple of weeks to process, but they'll back date it from the date she put her claim forms in.

elliebobs

Just seeking some clarification here. When she moved from a joint to a single household she would have to complete a whole new claim form and not a change of circumstances form. The fact that there is an overpayment will not affect her single claim as it was incurred upon the joint claim.
It is a compliance check; they are randomly done as the customer error/fraud rate is so high with tax credits that these checks are done to ensure that the correct rate is paid.

looby75

elliebobs wrote: »

Just seeking some clarification here. When she moved from a joint to a single household she would have to complete a whole new claim form and not a change of circumstances form. The fact that there is an overpayment will not affect her single claim as it was incurred upon the joint claim.
It is a compliance check; they are randomly done as the customer error/fraud rate is so high with tax credits that these checks are done to ensure that the correct rate is paid.

to be honest I'm not sure off the top of my head, I know she hasn't been getting any tax credit for a few years now because of the overpayment. She phoned them up to tell them about her change in circumstances after she split up with her husband, they sent a form out and she filled it in then got this letter and demand for all this extra proof letter