Who is right?

spiritedduchess

I am in a financial nightmare and checked to make sure I am receiving correct amount of tax and child tax credits. I checked the government website and it worked out that I was being underpaid by 21 quid a week and the entitled to website confirmed this. Spoke to tax credits and they say if we say this is what you should be getting thats what you will get! How do I know that they have worked it out correctly? Who checks them? The bloke I spoke to was offhand and to be frank rude. This affects my housing and council tax benefit too what do I do? Thanks in advance

AnxiousMum

Have you checked your award notice to ensure that the info you have provided them is correct?

spiritedduchess

yes I checked that with them today. It was all correct. The bloke said that their calculator often got it wrong! How do you know if they have worked it out right?

iluvmarmite

When I used the goverment checker, and entitledto they both said we would get £28 a week working tax credit, when I phoned to make the application the woman who took all my details also said it would be around £28 a week, what we actually get is £3.93 per week, a huge difference! I have phoned them but he said its what we are entitled to end of, I didnt go on at him as I think its useless and they would always win an argument.

Oldernotwiser

Surely, if you're getting less tax credits but more HB/CTB, this balances out? If there's been a mistake, it's better to be under rather than overpaid.

tronski

The entitled to calculator over estimated our entitlement too, based on the exact figures and circumstance that we gave tax credits.

[Deleted User]

I find entitled to is often out by a few quid. It tells me I should get £7 council tax benefit and I don't get any. Also when you put your gross pay in it calculates my net pay out by £15. These tools are a great guide but not to be taken as literally.

MrsManda

Did you use the direct.gov.uk benefits advisor calculator or the tax credits calculator on the direct.gov.uk website?
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/TaxCredits/Paymentsandentitlement/entitlement/DG_181270

Have you had a look at the entitlement tables for a quick glance of what to expect?
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/TaxCredits/peoplewhohelpothers/Entitlementtablesfortaxcredits/DG_175707

Although it can be annoying, as ONW said it can be better to be underpaid than overpaid as at least you don't end up with a bill you are not expecting.