Child benefit Help!!

sparklydebz

ARGH! Just watched a program on benefits so I decided to check mine.

Being a little dumb I'd assumed my child benefit was lumped in with my tax credits, but it aint it seems.

Cue phone call to Child Benefit office, delightful chap answered, George, clearly hates his life, his job, quite frankly he was cheeky, asked a few questions and it seems I've not had ANY Child benefit since March 2010 as their letters, all of them, were returned to sender.

Now thats not their fault apparently...I seemingly can't get the payments backdated either....he's APPARENTLY having someone look at the case again for me but can't tell me when I'll know or even IF i'll know seeing as someone is returning their mail to them.

I checked my address, even the spelling of the address in case its been returned by royal mail but no, everything is seemingly correct.

He asked why I'd waited so long to call but when I explained the above & also that in fairness, £80 over the course of a month into a bank account of a fulltime working person was easy to miss, I was made out to be an inbecile by the delightful George.

I explained all of my mail came here, I could prove I've been living at the address since 2008 but still.....I was told he'll "have them look at it again" but when asked for a timeframe, was told he couldn't possibly give one.

When I questioned as to how I'd hear he couldn't tell me that either but did take my mobile number!? I also questioned if I'd hear by post as clearly there's a problem SOMEWHERE with Child benefit items getting to me, and again, I was basically told it wasn't their (child benefits) problem.

Can anyone offer advice on this? Highly unfair I'd say

The last payment I got was £80 on 01 Mar 2010 and going at those rates for 21 months, I'm out over £1600 through no REAL fault of my own other than a little stupidity and I dont think thats a crime?!

DorsetGirl_2

Of course its your fault! Its not up to the benefits office to tell you what you should be claiming for.

Bernie_Flint

What was this wonderful programme on Benefit?

Is it available on ITV Player, or BBC iPlayer? I would very much like to watch it.

DorsetGirl_2

I bet it was Saints and Scroungers!

sparklydebz

cheers for the help there DorsetGirl. But my arguement is how could I return forms I never got?

mrschaucer

Were you receiving it straight into your bank account and then it just stopped? Or did you change banks and not tell them? Can't think what these "forms" were - normally if you get CB it just continues ...

Mara69

I work full time and I know exactly what is going in and coming out of my bank account. Sounds like you need some lessons in basic finance. When requesting a backdated claim for HB and the like, ignorance or the benefit is not sufficient cause to backdate. I think CB might take the same line and, in my opinion, quite rightly.

Bernie_Flint

sparklydebz wrote: »

ARGH! Just watched a program on benefits so I decided to check mine.

In case you missed it the first time (in your excitement to post).

What was this wonderful programme on Benefit?

Is it available on ITV Player, or BBC iPlayer? I would very much like to watch it.

Busybumble

I can't seem to understand why if you were claiming tax credits do you not receive the child benefit. you cannot receive tax credits unless you are entitled to child benefit. You need to speak directly to the child benefit agency and see if they can back date it. Was the benefit laid to anyone else in the intervening period?

DorsetGirl_2

Was your child born in March 2010? They dont send you the forms, you get them either in your bounty pack or from the registrar when you register the birth.

Lady_gaga

You can't get CTC if your not in receipt of child benefit...