Working Tax credit Refund

josie.d

I had my working tax credits stopped unexpectedly and when I queried it, after much pushing around from pillar to post, it came to light that an error had been made whereby they shouldn't have stopped, though how or why this happened, I don't know as my entitlement or circumstances haven't changed!
After apologies were made to me, they promised to re-instate it, and backdate it to the date it 'stopped'. This was two weeks ago now, and still no money. Meanwhile, I am struggling to keep on top of my rent thanks to their mistake, and even though I have chased it up and been reassured it is definitely owed to me and is being processed, I have still have no indication as to when it is going to be paid back to me.
How long will it take for them to give me back what is owed?

karenx

Only one who can answer is the working tax credits people

josie.d

I have chased them up several times, and the answer I get each time is "It will be paid, it is being processed, you will get a notification letter soon". Meanwhile i am struggling to pay my rent and council tax, having now putting up with being more than £20 a week worse off than when I was on full benefits.

I am so cross! Anyway, just needed to have a rant, hopefully they will pay up soon :mad:

dlb

Same happened here, working tax credits stopped on 9th April, i had informed them of a change on March 23rd....after many phone calls i have been told they have finally sorted it out and backpayment will be made on tuesday 24th April...so id say your looking at a month from when you told them or any mistake / change.....saying that they havent paid my child tax credits today either ..so will be on phone at 8am!!!

trixie-bel

Mmm .... what can I say! Tax Credits are a nightmare.

I claim working tax credits - and received them for many months then suddenly they stopped. My circumstances were the same- nothing had changed. I had completed an annual review/declaration form last year & returned it. Still no Tax Credits. Like you I was pushed from pillar to post and was sick of phoning them & getting nowhere.

In January of this year I got a letter telling me they had overpaid me and I had to pay it back! What a load of nonsense. The next day I had another form sent to me to fill in - same form as last year! Exasperated by it all I completed it and sent it back to them with a letter querying why I had to do all this again. No response to my letter.

I finally had a letter from them on 14th March but dated 8th March telling me they basically owed me money (that was not news to me) and telling me how much and when it would be paid to my bank account - as well as future payment amounts/dates. Nothing appeared.

After more phone calls - again they just tell me the same and in fact the last info I had was that there was a problem with my bank account. There is definitely nothing wrong with my bank account - except for the fact it has had no WTC as expected and is depleted as a result!

I finally lost patience and sent off a letter to them on 17th April by recorded delivery querying their performance, and complaining severely about their service.

So ... I understand your frustrations! Don't be fobbed off by them - its not rocket science to activate a payment - which should only take an average of 3 days then to reach your bank.

Good luck!!:)

suziet78

Hi

I am having trouble with tax credits too - they have basically decided I stopped working in October and I owe them over £3000 for working tax credits and child tax credits recieved and I only qualify for Child Tax Credit now. When I called them after waiting for about 20 minutes on hold they said it was a decision made by the back office and they could not update my details or tell me what basis they changed this. I have worked for the same employer since September last year and paid the same childminder for 6+ years throughout different jobs. I need to pay my childminder on the 11th and as of yesterday I have to wait 7-10 working days for someone to contact me! It doesn't take a brain surgeon to work out that if I can't pay the childminder I can't go to work and will end up unemployed!

Does anyone have any contact details other than the alleged "help"-line?

PS I also over estimated my income and they actually owe me too!