child tax credit suddenly been slashed

mumtomolandroo

checked bank details last night and my ctc payment has gone into account this week but its £230 less than usual amount.

my situation hasnt changed since last year, i'm a divorced mum of 2 on long term incapacity, unable to work due to an ongoing chronic condition, dont have earnings so nowhere near the £40k threshold, i dont have childcare costs, i struggle as it is to make ends meet, i cant phone them now until tuesday due to bank holiday weekend, i feel sick in the stomach because there is no way i will be able to take care of my kids and pay my mortgage without that extra money

please tell me they've made a mistake.......

pipscot

mumtomolandroo wrote: »

checked bank details last night and my ctc payment has gone into account this week but its £230 less than usual amount.

my situation hasnt changed since last year, i'm a divorced mum of 2 on long term incapacity, unable to work due to an ongoing chronic condition, dont have earnings so nowhere near the £40k threshold, i dont have childcare costs, i struggle as it is to make ends meet, i cant phone them now until tuesday due to bank holiday weekend, i feel sick in the stomach because there is no way i will be able to take care of my kids and pay my mortgage without that extra money

please tell me they've made a mistake.......

This doesn't sound right - if you're not earning anything at all and are just receiving ctc rather than wtc+ctc, your payment should have actually gone up slightly rather than down. Could this be a balancing payment? Have you checked your last award notice - it should say (approx) what your payments will be in 2011/2012. The amount probably won't be really accurate since the budget but should say if you are still going to receive full ctc.
None of your children are 16+ or anthing similar that could trigger a change in payment?

zagfles

Yes they've made a mistake. If you're on IS, or you earn under 15k, then you get full CTC which has gone up this year by £255 per child.

It does seem the payments are all over the place in the renewal window, but should be sorted when you do the renewal.

DeeMarie89

If you read through, many people have received a reduced payment this month. By next month most payments will be back to normal.
Have you had any emergency payments etc this year? Because they usually deduct anything like that at the en of the tax year.

Also, you can phone them up now as they are open on bank holidays, I believe.

mumtomolandroo

thank you all, i did phone them and there does seem to be some problem with their computerised payments since the change in budget so have recieved this small payment and the full payment will be paid on 27th april........ phew !!

I hate having to rely on benefits but i'm unable to work due to an ongoing illness, my bills have all increased since my husband left 3 years ago and i'm having to pay all the bills, mortgage etc on just benefits, its really tough so if my ctc had been slashed by £230 a month there is just no way i'd be able to manage.

mummyplus3

I get mine weekly and they have been all over the place recently, going from £260 - £200 for a few weeks and now up in the £300's no idea whats going on! hoping they will settle down after the bank hols its so diffcult to budget when you don't know whats coming in!