Working Tax credit back Payment - in receipt of DLA

mkbr1987

Hi all.

This is my first post so please bare with me.

I currently claim the disability element of tax credit as i have cerebral palsy(right hand hemiplegia) and have had all my life. Now i started claiming tax credits when my daughter was born(October 2009 both working and child element) as this was the first time any one had told me about it but looking into things today i have realised that i could have claimed from day 1 of working.

Now my question would be am i entitled to a back payment as i have received DLA at middle rate and motability at the higher rate since i can remember. I know they will probably decline this but surely they should make people that receive DLA of there options when starting work and help us with some guidance towards the correct channels etc.

Any help would be appreciated.

nannytone_2

i very much doubt it.

being ignorant to the fact thgat you could have claimed before is never a valid reason for backdating.

tax credits are more than well publicised, and the onus is on the claimant to find out if they are entitled, and not HMRC's job to chase down people that may have an entitlement.

the maximum it would be backdated is only 3 months anyway.

Two4Tuesday

You won't get Working Tax Credits backdated more than 93 days even if you get higher rate care component of DLA I'm afraid unless you had told the tax credits office within 3 months of your award of DLA...

The same thing has just happened to me. I didn't claim before because I thought my earnings would be too high. Recently I learned about the £10K disregard that would apply to my very low 2010-2011 income that meant I would still have been eligible for this year.

mkbr1987

But i was 6 when my mum first appled for DLA and it was never mentioned when i turned 16 what benefits i was entitled to when starting work.

Is it maybe worth calling them as i have seen that if you are a refugee you can get back payments? not being funny if they can then why cant the disabled people get this. I didnt want to be born paralysed and incapable of using one my hands and 1 of my legs.

I just sometimes find it very wrong that the UK do not communicate peoples entitlements.

Sorry rant over just annoyed no one told me about all this when i was 16!

karenx

You wouldnt of gotten it when you were 16 as to get tax credits you must be 25 or over unless you have children. So your entitlement only applied when you had your daughter in october 2009.

mkbr1987

That false information surely as I'm entitled to the disability element from 16 aren't I?

sleepless_saver

mkbr1987 wrote: »

That false information surely as I'm entitled to the disability element from 16 aren't I?

Yes, you are. There's no age limit if you meet the criteria for the disability element.