Arghhh Tax credits!

mummy_to_3_and_a_half

Hi all,
I am new to all this, but, am needing some desperate advice!
My husband has just signed off JSA Contribution based on the 1st Oct 10 as he has now managed to find a job (yay!)
Anyway so as not to incur any overpayments we made a change of circumstances with tax credits on 2nd Oct and also included out childcare and changed payments to 4 weekly, we were told these were paid in advance not arrears.
We figured if we were paid 4 weekly we could pay all our bills asap and then the rest is what we would have to live on for the rest of the month.
As of today 18 days later our childcare element still hasn't been applied, i am now 3 weeks behind with our childminder (really isn't a good start!) and they also stopped our weekly payment to be paid in arrears next payment due on the 26th Oct. I keep calling the helpline to be told .... Ring 0845 601 2944 (not too sure who they are?) which is constantly engaged, i have tried constantly pressing redial for a couple of hours at a time.
Our childcare is quite costly but that is because we have 3 children (and one cooking lol) I work full time, shift work, 13 hour days leaving at 7.30am and getting in about 10.30pm 3 days one week 4 days next including weekends and my husband is Mon- Fri 7.30am to 5.30pm with every other Sat so he too is leaving about 6.45 and getting in at about 6.30 (rush hour traffic depending) My mum also helps us out a lot too with childcare by picking up my kids from childminder about 4.00pm and giving them tea and baths etc.. so they are not up too late for school. Our childcare is still in the region of £300 per week. Childminder has 2 of the children from 7.00am till 9.00am taking them to school and then picking up till 4.00pm (ish) and then the 2 year old all day 7.00am till 4.00pm.
I completely forgot and started rambling on (sorry!!) The question is can the tax credits let us get in to this much arrears already with our childminder? and how long does it take to sort out? My husband may aswell quit his job and go back to being a house husband if they are not going to award the childcare element.
Our income is...
Me going on stat mat leave £124 per week (last month of working)
Hubby £1125.00 after tax per calendar month
CB £47.10 per week
and CTC They have awarded £440 per 4 week next payment 26th Oct
Rent £98 per week (with some arrears to add)
Ct £130 a month
Childminder £300 per week
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, i understand that i do not need childcare when i am on leave but that is not for another month and then i will be only off for 3 months, And i do not want to lose my place with my childminder who is well sought after in our area.
Thanks in advance
Kim

EmmelineJ

Hi Kim

I just wanted to offer my sympathies. I am having the exact same problem, I applied for childcare costs October 4th and so far nothing. I have rang that number countless times and it really is so frustrating having an engaged tone continuously. I've just worked out that I have spent £19.82 in calls alone to the Tax Credits helpline trying to resolve this, in addition I have had to borrow money left right and centre to pay my childminder who requires money in advance. My Dad, bless his heart, kindly lent me £600 yesterday to pay my childminder to the end of the week. It absurd that they try to encourage parents to work (I'm a single parent, and work 37.5 hours a week for the NHS) but when it comes to helping to pay childcare costs . . . the amount of time it takes to process is truly ridiculous.

I've just rang the main number again to make an official complaint. If you haven't done so already I would highly encourage you to do so. I followed the advice on their main page (would post link but not able to!)

The more parents that complain, the more likely they will be to hopefully change their system to something more practical, accessible and family friendly !

Emmeline.

System

Tax credits are now operating a check first pay later system for high value elements of tax credits such as childcare and disability.
That means they will not update your claim and start paying you until they verify that it is true. They do that by contacting the childcare provider or asking you to provide proof of your contract and payments with the childcare provider for that element or contacting the Social Security to confirm the level of DLA being paid.
For anyone paying for childcare it is always better to pay by direct debit or cheque so that you have such proof if asked.

MrsDavo

EmmelineJ wrote: »

Hi Kim

I just wanted to offer my sympathies. I am having the exact same problem, I applied for childcare costs October 4th and so far nothing. I have rang that number countless times and it really is so frustrating having an engaged tone continuously. I've just worked out that I have spent £19.82 in calls alone to the Tax Credits helpline trying to resolve this, in addition I have had to borrow money left right and centre to pay my childminder who requires money in advance. My Dad, bless his heart, kindly lent me £600 yesterday to pay my childminder to the end of the week. It absurd that they try to encourage parents to work (I'm a single parent, and work 37.5 hours a week for the NHS) but when it comes to helping to pay childcare costs . . . the amount of time it takes to process is truly ridiculous.

I've just rang the main number again to make an official complaint. If you haven't done so already I would highly encourage you to do so. I followed the advice on their main page (would post link but not able to!)

The more parents that complain, the more likely they will be to hopefully change their system to something more practical, accessible and family friendly !

Emmeline.

I'm having the same trouble, I updated my claim on the 15th of September.......and STILL nothing!

I was told a manager would call me ( my case was sent to escalations due to me complaining ) in 5-10 working days, well the 10th working day was last thursday!

My MP has written to someone high up ( cant remember teh name of the top of my head ) on the 12th of October - so I will wait until Monday and then call them again.

The Job Centre have kindly applied to the In Work Dependants Fund ( or something along those lines ) for 2 weeks childcare for me. Not the full amount I need but helpful. My Childminder should have that within 2 weeks - then I will owe her 4 weeks money instead of 7!

I really had hoped it would be sorted by now.

Tax credits are now operating a check first pay later system for high value elements of tax credits such as childcare and disability.
That means they will not update your claim and start paying you until they verify that it is true. They do that by contacting the childcare provider or asking you to provide proof of your contract and payments with the childcare provider for that element or contacting the Social Security to confirm the level of DLA being paid.
For anyone paying for childcare it is always better to pay by direct debit or cheque so that you have such proof if asked.

I have asked Tax Credits 3 times if they want a copy of my contract with childminder, and they have NOT contacted my childminder to check as of yet.

If that was all they needed to do I could have done that for them 4 weeks ago.

DanE2010

MrsDavo wrote: »

I'm having the same trouble, I updated my claim on the 15th of September.......and STILL nothing!

I was told a manager would call me ( my case was sent to escalations due to me complaining ) in 5-10 working days, well the 10th working day was last thursday!

My MP has written to someone high up ( cant remember teh name of the top of my head ) on the 12th of October - so I will wait until Monday and then call them again.

The Job Centre have kindly applied to the In Work Dependants Fund ( or something along those lines ) for 2 weeks childcare for me. Not the full amount I need but helpful. My Childminder should have that within 2 weeks - then I will owe her 4 weeks money instead of 7!

I really had hoped it would be sorted by now.



I have asked Tax Credits 3 times if they want a copy of my contract with childminder, and they have NOT contacted my childminder to check as of yet.

If that was all they needed to do I could have done that for them 4 weeks ago.

I definately understand your frustration with the wait but the delay is probably the amount of childcare they are having to check at the moment, September all the kids went back to school, end of school holidays etc so id imagine its a busy time for people ringing and updating childcare costs, so they probably have alot of childcare providers to get through, apparently it is saving ALOT of money by checking first as opposed to the old method of just taking the claiments word for it and that is the sole reason they are now checking because of the amount of money paid out fraudulently by customers providing the wrong amount.