Tell them, tell them, tell them (and get a name!)

backinbusiness

I wholeheartedly agree with Martin's mantra to tell Tax Credits as soon as your circumstances change, but I would also recommend that you note for your own records the time and date of the 'phone call, and also the name of the person you spoke with and their team number.

Helps sort out any !!!!-ups that might occur!

BiB

no-oneknowsme

I AGREE !

As I mentioned in an earlier post this is what I do every time I telephone tco :

Every single time I ring the tc helpline the first question I ask is "Is this call being recorded?" To which the answer I always get is "yes , all calls are recorded".

I then ask the help line operator to tell me their name , I then continue to ask the question/query which led to me calling in the first place.

Then , when I finish the call I have a note pad which I keep in my file along with ALL of my award notices for the past God knows how many years lol and in that note pad I make a note of :

1. The time and date of the call.
2. The telehone number I called from.
3. The name of the operator.
4. The information I gave to the operator.
5. The information the operator gave me in return.

Now to some this may sound a bit OTT but I have experience of a close relative having to pay back a substantial overpayment and there is no way I would want to fall foul of the same thing.

Given that I have had to call the helpline many many times over the past year or two this system of keeping notes juts gives me a bit more confidence that nothing can go wrong.

WPN

Just to add, record the phone call with a dictation device. As long as they have confirmed that THEY are recording the phone call you do not need to specify that YOU are. It is good procedure to get an accurate picture of what was said. Think less of being court evidence but being sure of the calls content - after all, its unlikely that Government departments are to be so keen of disclosing phone call recordings and CCTV etc. for YOUR advantage, they will only use them to THEIRS. You will probably be unlikely to obtain a copy.

Tax Credits aren't likely to be that bad. For Jobcentre Plus (other benefits) this is a must (you don't need to state you are recording as you will be told before you are connected that the call is recorded) as Employment Officers, they get to define the actual events of the call (which could amount to benefit fraud if they claim you didn't disclose something etc. - even if a genuine mistake on their part) and there is no way that a copy of the call would be produced to support any claim you made. It is all about covering your back and its really sad that people have to go about doing this.

I have to say that noting the time and date of the call, duration (get from most phones if not jot down the time at the end and work it out from that) and who you spoke to is GREAT. If you say, you called Monday morning and spoke to some gentleman, you wont be taken seriously. if you can say you called "Dave" (some names are fake for protection) at 10:08 - they will believe that an actual call took place.

Just to note with Jobcentre Plus, some staff will hang up the phone if you ask them for their name - happened to me a few times before - so I think its always best to ask towards the end indirectly.... basically thank them, and apologise for not knowing their name ("Thank you... err, I didn't get your name? " => "Thank you for your help Susan"). Works every time.