HMRC questionaireXDirectgov benefit adviser: different results. Who's right?

Mar72

Hi, there

Please bear with me, this is my first post here

I've looked the other posts in trhe forum but it seems my problem is quite unique, let's say.

I'm currently receiving tax credits, child tc, housing benefit and council tax benefit. I just wanted to make sure I'm receiving the right amount so I went to the Directgov website and answered their questionaire. It turns out (according to them) I'm receiving less WTC and CTC than I should be receiving.

Before making a move and put a complain through I went to HMRC website and answered their questionaire for WTC and CTC . Well, according to them, I'm actually receiving more WTC and CTC than I should be receiving.

I'm now very confused and don't really know what to do. Is there someone there that can help me? Citizens Advice bureau or some other sort of organisation that could help me with the calculations?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions

alwaysonthego_2

If you can give us your household income for 09-10 and what you expect it to be this year we could help.

How many children?

Mar72

Hiya

Thanks for helping with that.

Household income for 09-10 = £15467.10 (my husband and mine combined). This year is not going to be very high, around £9000.00. My husband is working part time and I'm looking after my son because he has a delicate health condition that is being investigated but at the moment nobody seems to know what it is exactly

1 child, DOB 14/08/10.

Tks again

alwaysonthego_2

Tax credits are worked out on the previous tax year (09-10) so your payments will not reflect your lower income.

You could ask them to assess your award on a estimated income for this year but you should overestimate to avoid any overpayment.

Your husband needs to work at least 16 hours to get working tax credits.

You could get help with rent or your council tax.

Try www.entitledto.co.uk for an estimate.

Mar72

Thank you for your help, I'll have a look at entitledto

Mar72

Hi, I'm upping my topic because I've got a few questions and maybe someone can help me.

I checked the DirectGov and HMRC calculators and could see I'm receiving at least £10 a week less of Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit than I should be receiving. I cannot honestly say that's my fault because they awarded me based on a estimate I sent to them during renewal time. This happened because I didn't have my husband's and mine P60s at the time due to them had been lost on our last house move. After extensive search, I've found them and used the calculators both from directgov and HMRC and saw I'm £10 worse off in each benefit.

My big questions is: what to do next?

I read the appeal shouldn't be sent later than a month the benefit has been awarded. However, you can appeal later than that but should have a reason for having done so.

I'm afraid if I contact them directly and try to explain the situation they might say I should have appealed at the right time and that is that, my claim will be dismissed.

I don't really know what to do next, I'm really lost and really need help. Who should I contact first? HMRC? Citizens Advice Bureau to help me with an appeal? No appeal? :question:

With a toddler and husband working only part time things are really dire at the momment and 20 quid a week would make a HUGE difference.

Can anyone help, please?

Thanks

Mar72

Heeeelllp, please!

Blue22

Hi

You seem to have two problems

1) You declared an incorrect income for last year so your final award for 2009/2010 may have been incorrect. I don't know whether or not it is too late to rectify this and the only way you will find out is to ring the tax credit number.

2) Your income has dropped dramatically this year. As allwaysonthego said above, you can ask tax credits to reassess your current award on this years estimated income rather than last years, i.e £9000 and not £15000+. This should see your total award for this year increase by over £2000.
The only warning, as has already been stated, is tell tax credits immediately if you think your income will exceed this amount (£9000) to avoid any over payment.

Hope you that helps, just pick the phone up to make the call

Mar72

Hi, Blue

Thanks for the reply

My final award is incorrect for sure, both Directgov and HMRC calculators stated so. I know this is pretty much my fault but I genuinely didn't have our P60s with me at renewal time so I gave them the best estimate I could.

That's exactly my fear, that they'll tell me "oh, it's too late, there's nothing you can do, bye"

Is it really possible to ask them to reassess the award based on this year income? I always thought that wouldn't be possible given Tax Credits are calculated based on the previous year income.

My income will not exceed this amount for sure. At the moment we have my husband working part time and I'm unemployed after being made redundant at the end of my maternity leave. Also, I cannot go back to work as I'm looking after my son who cannot be put in childcare due to his delicate health condition.

Thanks again

Blue22

Hi again

How much you may have been 'underpaid' for last year depends on what figure they have for your income in 2008/2009 and the income you declared for 2009/2010 and your actual income for 2009/2010. If your income for 2008/2009 was low, then there may not even be an underpayment for last year. Anyway as I said, I'm not sure if it's to late to change these figures but it won't hurt to try!

Your biggest problem seems to be lack of income atm. Yes it really is possible to ask them to reassess on an estimated income for this year. Your current tax credit award is based on the figure they have for your last years income but this isn't your final award for this year. This would normally be finalised after April next year when you have the actual figures. If your income drops by 6K, you would then get a large lump sum as an underpayment from this year. If money is tight at the moment, rather than wait for that big payment, and if you know this years income will be a lot less than last years, they will do adjustments now and start to pay you that lump sum immediately.

I hope that made sense. I knew what I meant but found it hard to put into words.

Pick the phone up!

Mar72

Thank you Blue,

I'll give them a ring and see what they say. Worst case scenario is, I'll lodge an appeal anyway if conversation goes awry.