Tax Credits change of circumstance means lose everything for 6 weeks ?????

esmerellda

Being a completely stupid, but honest, person who claims tax credits as soon as I knew my circumstances were altering (my partner moving in with me) I called up the tax credits people to let them know I'd need a joint claim.

I now understand why people are forced to lie to the tax credit office.

They have told me my current payments stop immediately (and thats all I have to live on) and the new claim won't start for six weeks. With my partners circumstances the new claim is only about £20 a week less than the old claim, but because I have told them I have nothing at all for six weeks ? How the bloody hell can that be right or fair, and how on earth does that encourage people to be honest and tell them of changes ?

Currently I have absolutely no idea how I am going to survive the next few weeks. Yes the money will be backdated, but thats no help at all is it.

The tax credit person I spoke with even suggested he move back out again and she talked to me like I was scum and like I was defrauding them, and how I should think about people on nothing - all I did was tell them he'd moved in and I needed to change to a joint claim. I dont get housing or council tax benefits at all, or income support, tax credits and child benefit was my only income.

Hammyman

esmerellda wrote: »

Being a completely stupid, but honest, person who claims tax credits as soon as I knew my circumstances were altering (my partner moving in with me) I called up the tax credits people to let them know I'd need a joint claim.

Currently I have absolutely no idea how I am going to survive the next few weeks. Yes the money will be backdated, but thats no help at all is it.

How about your partner who is moving in paying towards the living costs or is that too radical a suggestion?

shop-to-drop

You will still have the child benefit payment won't you? Can't your partner help you out for a few weeks the back payment will be a nice bit to come then that maybe you wouldn't have saved otherwise. Get a pencil and paper and write down what will come in and go out over the next few weeks hopefully it won't look so bad.

Breast_Cancer_Survivor

The same thing happened to me when my bf moved in to be my full time carer even though the amount of CTC would be staying the same leaving us over £1000 down for 6 weeks.

I did however manage to get a crisis loan although it was only for just over £100 so we ended up borrowing money off of my bf's mother to tide us over.

I don't understand why it takes so long to add another name to the claim either or how they expect you to manage without your CTC for 6 weeks. :eek:

esmerellda

He gives me what he can and contributes. The thing is it is only changing by £20 a week because his income doesnt come to much. I have sat down and worked everything out and it looked like it would be okay. No where on the constant requests to let them know of changes in circumstances say that you will get nothing for six weeks then get it backdated, if it had of done then we could have tried to sort something out to cover it, saving some back (however hard that would have been) to cover those weeks before making the move.

GEEGEE8

It's awful isn't it, I really feel for you.. hopefully they will get it sorted out asap and pay you out. I think the whole benefits system is a mess and it takes far too long to sort anything out.. just like all the Government departments really!

esmerellda

Thanks GeeGee. I got in a bit of a state on the phone to the tax credits feel like they just pulled the rug from under me for being honest and reporting changes as soon as possible like they ask.

My partner contributes £50 a week (rest of his income goes to his ex for child maintenance and transport to work and visiting kids) and my child benefit is £47 (3 under 10). Tax credits were £139, and according to the calculators etc will change to £117. I dont get any other benefits so crisis loans/budgeting loan etc from the social fund aren't an option. I don't have any savings. My ex pays half of my rent instead of child maintenance as he remains in what was the family home which just isnt selling (hence not getting income support etc due to the capital limits). I knew my partner moving in would have an effect and would be difficult - council tax goes up, lose free school meals (s'ok they always wanted packed lunch), reduction of child tax credits - but we worked out we could manage with the additional income he will bring in - and tbh it seems stupid him renting a different house and claiming different benefits to help pay for it when we just want to be together. We just didnt account for losing tax credits completely for 6 weeks. I'm studying at university part time (and paying for myself) and looking for work and trying my hardest just seems the system is completely utterly against us. Six weeks is a long time with kids and bills to pay for - I can probably get away without paying water or tv licence and catch up once the back payments through, but council tax are already on my back and I have to pay £20 every friday, plus electric is on a meter so theres no putting that off (£10 a week). No other bills barring the rent (£50 week) - I only use cash and have no bank account so I cant get in debt. My partners narked at me now for telling tax credits about him moving in as its just going to make things so difficult when it should be getting easier, and happier. So £17 a week for six weeks for food and everything else. Suppose its a challenge isnt it..... but its okay at least I'll have a nice whack at the end of six weeks I wouldnt otherwise have saved. ARRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Thanks for letting me get it off my chest Will let you know how things go.

GEEGEE8

Are there any funds available for hardship at your uni?

Keep going! Try the different boards for ways of saving money through meal planning etc.. and no new clothes etc til it's sorted.. the usual stuff..

shop-to-drop

Glad you are trying to be positive about it Esme. Best to start off this new phase in the best possible way. Hope it's not too hard and you can enjoy the money when it comes in.

esmerellda

Yep, I have been budgeting my ''bottom'' off to manage since losing income support a while back, guess the back stock of chicken soup I've built up will come in handy lol. I dont mind a challenge and I know it will work out okay in the end, just a bit of a shock when she said Okay I've cancelled your claim the forms will be with you in 10 days and then you should start receiving tax credits again in 28 days, instant reaction is sheer panic ! Worrying about normal little things like my daughters birthday in a few weeks, youngest school trip this week, daughters shoe sole bust yesterday and was planning to get her some new ones on friday (tescos have some great £5 trainers in for girls at the moment), council tax sorted out a new arrangement with me yesterday due to the additional adult which I promised to keep up with etc .... that kind of stuff just shoots through your head. I'm lucky to have my partner move in as we're all so much happier, why do the benefits system just have to make it so damn hard financially to change anything for the positive.

GEEGEE8

Like you said earlier, it's no wonder people just don't update them..!

On the other side of the coin, I rang them 3 times in April to say I was earning too much for working tax credits now and could they please stop paying me. They carried on paying and now that I got made redundant it has come in handy, but I guess it's an interest free loan for now huh.

Can't win..!