Tax credit renewal - general questions (merged)

abi-em-mum83

Princess_Stanny wrote: »

Yes it has been completed. The payment always beats the notice. You should get it next week I would've thought.

Thanks! I have been hearing so many people being asked for childcare details and wondered if everyone was having theirs checked, and was going to get everything together just incase! Thanks for replying!!x

kerys28

hi there i renewed my tax credits in may told over the phone how much i would be getting on tuesday.
but yesterday i had a answering machine message to tell me to contact hmrc does anybody have any idea what it could be about please

Purdi

Last year my CTC & WTC renewal lapsed resulting in payments being stopped so this year I was more organised and renewed in May. My circumstances with my partner change on a regular basis due to my frustration at him being unable to find work.
When I made my first claim last year, I was single however my partner moved in at a later date. He has no job, no savings and no assets and according to the online Tax credit calculator, it made no difference to my Tax Credits if he was my partner or not.
Whilst discussing another issue with the CAB, they also did a calculation and came to the same conclusion.
Over the past year our relationship has been very much on and off and as their was no financial gain involved, I left my claim as 'single'.
Shortly after receiving my awards notice, I received a letter from Compliance saying they believed my ex-husband was still living with me to which I replied that he had left years back and that I had already notified them in writing. They also said that if I wanted to continue my claim as a single person, they wanted mortgage statement, bank statements, building society statements, infact there was approx half a dozens things they wanted.
At this stage I wrote back and said that my partner lived with me and explained he depended on me for everything financially and that its very much an on off relationship.
All went quiet for a few weeks until I received a letter stating that I had to make a JT claim regardless and that an 'adjustment' would be made.
Instead of an adjustment, they stopped altogether without warning which has left me in one heck of a situation especially as I have 3 young children and its school holidays. Frantically I phoned them up and said that I hadn't expected them to be stopped altogether because regardless of whether I'm in a relationship or not, I still have 3 children.
The guy I spoke to was very abrupt to say the least and seemed rather miffed that when calculated, I will actually be better off for claiming as a 'couple' than as a 'single' person however I would have to wait 2 weeks for a new claim pack and once completed would take another 3 weeks to process.:( (This meant 5 weeks with no income whatsoever as I work term time only)
The following day I then had a tax bill for over £8,000 in overpayments :eek: .
Since then I have had another letter for a request of £4,000 :eek:. My claim pack came yesterday which I promptly completed as a JT claim and returned straightaway. My partner has now decided that he cannot continue in a situation where he can't find work (I agree) and will be moving out shortly so after all this, I am back to square one !!

Princess_Stanny

It's so hard when relationships aren't stable. I had a similar situation with my ex but I just never let him move in officially. He stayed 3 nights max. I think if didnt make much difference to your money you should've kept it as a joint claim rather than single. If it is the same though or you would be better of as JT I don't see why there is an overpayment?

Skint_but_Optimistic

I just dont know what to expect from Tax credits this year!

In the past three years I have kept them fully informed of every change of circumstance.

It seemed to make no difference to them when my partner moved in (should have read the warning signs but busy lives mean you think - ah well must be ok then ) and when my son was born I had an increase of £22 a week, and then when my maternity pay stopped (I had saved to take three months unpaid leave) my claim stopped.

Then my problem started.

I received a bill, as I had been overpaid, by £2500. I rang to enquire why and it was because I had not informed them of a change of circumstances, i argued the point but to no avail. I knew the date I had rang, and still, no joy, and I took it on the chin. (I had not had any paper work in the meantime and also I was not receiving any money from them at this point.) To date, I have paid back £1600 of this, a lump sum payment followed by monthly installments.

I was in the grey zone, not officially working (as on unpaid maternity leave) and not out of work either...

I informed them I was going back to work and they adjusted the records.
My DS is childminded, three days a week. I have a daughter who is 11 at home too. My current award is 18.07 a week.

I renewed over the phone and nothing has changed so far, its been 2 weeks. I dont know what to expect, the calculators seem to suggest a lump sum is due!
Last year my earnings were just under 6000, and my husband earned 20000.

I just dont know what to expect this year and part of me is in fear of another overpayment!

I dont know, I shouldnt be this tense over tax credits!!

Princess_Stanny

Obviously I don't know what your due but if you haven't heard anything yet it may be they're checking the claim before paying you out as it seems that's what most of the delays have been due to. Have you worked out what your payments should be on entitledto?

Skint_but_Optimistic

Hmm it says should be receiving 108.29 a week.

Wonder if that would wipe out the amount I owe them, or would they still reclaim that and send on a one off payment.

Its really confusing!! Just hope I get a notification soon.

Princess_Stanny

You would think they could deduct it from what you owe but we all know how backwards TC's are!!!

Brodiebobs

As per princesses advice i have sent a complaint letter this morning, my MP has also got back to me this afternoon (sods law!), and has passed my details to a complaint hander at head office, she has been told it may take this handler upto 10 days to get in touch with me as they are snowed under!! :eek:

Princess_Stanny

So hopefully it should be sorted out within 2 weeks max going on my experience! Fingers crossed. My MP got in touch today too! I'm glad she did as I was beginning to get annoyed that I'd had no response