Tax Credits - aaaaarrrrrggggghhhh!

talulah25

I really hope someone can help!

On 9th July I telephoned tax credits to advise them that my partner had moved out of our home and I needed to make a claim on my own, just expecting them to take him off the claim as he wasnt earning any money or getting any benefits paid anyway. They said I had to make a whole new claim so I gave them all my info and they said prob wait 3 weeks max as this was not the first claim I had made.

5 weeks on and I'm still waiting!!!! I've been calling them 2-3 times a week for updates and on 27th July was advised that my childcare costs had been verified by the provider and that it 'shouldnt be too much longer now', every phonecall since they have said the same thing!

When I called today I asked for the complaints procedure and was told by a very unhelpful little man that my claim would be sorted before my complaint was so there was no point in making one! Also that they had no time-scale to work to for dealing with complaints it just depended how many complaints they had to deal with at the time! :mad:

I've had to pay over half my wages out in childcare costs, cant get housing benefit claim finalised until tax credits give me an award letter and have b****r all money to feed myself and my son and get to work and back!

What can I do? (I cant get a crisis loan apparently before someone suggests that)

Thanks in advance!

talulah25

So if I'm not guaranteed a payment how am I expected to feed myself and my son and get to work? Why is it that if I just sat on my lazy behind all day and didnt bother working I'd probably be getting money thrown at me from all directions but because I actually make an effort I get sh*t on from a great height?:mad:

talulah25

I didnt mean to question you!

Actually although I have a job I am penniless, my child benefit got eaten up by direct debits for gas and electricity actually! I got paid £700 and £380 went on childcare, then I had rent, council tax etc to pay and now I have nothing, I am also 5 months pregnant so if I dont eat I am starving a child. Perhaps you think I'm being dramatic but when I say I have nothing, I mean I have NOTHING!

tambdy

try not to stress to much i cant help u with ur situation but all i can say is i hope everything changes soon. I have always been an unlucky person i cant mind one day i have had a lucky break since my daughters birth 6 yrs ago and today i got one. So i hope ur next.

talulah25

Anyway thankyou those with sensible input, I didnt know about the emergency payouts and I will look into that tomorrow, fingers crossed!

karenx

What about child support from the father????

NASA_2

talulah25 wrote: »

I didnt mean to question you!

Actually although I have a job I am penniless, my child benefit got eaten up by direct debits for gas and electricity actually! I got paid £700 and £380 went on childcare, then I had rent, council tax etc to pay and now I have nothing, I am also 5 months pregnant so if I dont eat I am starving a child. Perhaps you think I'm being dramatic but when I say I have nothing, I mean I have NOTHING!

Cant the fathers of your children help out?

emsywoo123

While I appreciate that the ideal solution would be for father/s to pay up to help out, it is often not that straight forward unfortunately :eek:

talulah25

Good news, I didnt get an emergency payment but I found a telephone number on another MSE post and spoke to a very helpful lady who arranged for the payment team to call me within 10 mins.

When they did I was advised that my claim had been sitting for 2 weeks doing absolutely nothing and whoever had processed the childcare should have put it through for payment!

So its all done now and I will have all payments including backdated amount within 24 hours! :j