No child tax payment means no food

tishunt

Just thought i would update you all on todays occurance with the HMRC...

Having checked my bank account for the wkly child tax credit I discover no payment had been made.
Checked with bank - no issues no o/s payments
Called HMRC.

Outcome: they have processed my review and I am no longer entitled to payment.

ME: has the review been completed in full i.e. have you added the fact that husband salary greatly reduced and no company car - details were all added on the comments and had been advised i was due a payment via phone.

HMRC: no - we have not included any data from the comments box - what is the new details

ME: gave new details does this mean I do not get a payment?

HMRC: Yes

ME: Does that mean I do not get a paymeent this week?

HMRC: Yes a letter was issued 17/6/13 stating this however I have reviewed your details and a revised payment will be sent end of next week.

ME: what do I do in the meantime, I have no money for food or fuel - was expecting £20. this was needed for food (family 0f 4) and fuel to get to work and children to school (they go 8 miles away from home not my choice local govt!!!)

HMRC: nothing we can do

I then spoke to both a team leader and a complaints manager.

I reiterated to them that I had not been notified of change to Tax credit, although letter issued doesn't mean posted (sent to mailing co who tends to print every few days!! Worked in one for HMRC!!!)
I have not money for food, fuel - hence unable to get children to school, me to work or feed the family - what do I do???

Advised to go to local food bank, job centre, council - all ready done so told no support as in employment. Ask loan from friends and family - I lead a sad life and do not have any friends/family close enough to ask. Get advance from work - takes 7 days and then by cheque!!

Ultimately, I have no money.

I asked the HMRC if this was acceptable - reply: no

I am now in a situation that I cannot collect my children from school this evening, feed them from Sat to Thurs (hubby paid on friday!!!) and can;'t get to work.

THis will then mean issues with schools, starving family, no payment/disciplinary from work!!!!

HMRC cannot help!!!!

DEspite that they have complted the review incorrectly and we are suffering due to someones incompetence in reading the review form correctly - we have to suffer - that is not right.

I have done everything by the book followed their guidelines and now being penalised.

In a way I am fortunate that I know I have money due in next week - but what about those that don't...does the HMRC really care or is a case of the computer says no.

HMRC says they will investigate my complaint fully - this will take 3 weeks and let me know the outcome.

Personally, I expect someone to be discplined for the effect that they incompetence will have on the wellbeing of my family.

It is no good enough!!!!!

starrystarry

I'm sorry to hear of your situation.

Do you have food in your cupboards to tide you over until next week? Might not be gourmet dining but it would get you through.

I'm a bit confused that you mentioned you were expecting £20 and that this was feed you all for a week and pay for fuel. £20?

dseventy

Hi

The £20 does sound a bit wierd, what was it for? What has happened to the Child Benefit money for the children?

If you really can't eat down your food cupboards, borrow off family or have access to any other money, I suggest you contact social services. Thats bold advice, but really if you can't feed your kids for the sake of lack of £20 thats what I suggest.

D70

sulkisu

starrystarry wrote: »

I'm sorry to hear of your situation.

Do you have food in your cupboards to tide you over until next week? Might not be gourmet dining but it would get you through.

I'm a bit confused that you mentioned you were expecting £20 and that this was feed you all for a week and pay for fuel. £20?

I was wondering the same.

If it is just £20 needed, I would guess that you have some food in the house, as I can't imagine that you planned to feed a family of four from scratch on less than £20. It might only be basic items but shouldn't mean that you starve as a family.

Otherwise do you have a Cash Converter or similar nearby? You probably have at least one item in the house that you could borrow £20 against. What about an overdraft or credit card?

It is frustrating when things do not happen as they should, but I find it really hard to believe that between you and your husband you cannot find £20 to cover. Complaining to HMRC is one thing, but perhaps this is an opportunity for you both to look at how you budget and spend. I realise that not everyone has spare money left over, but with tax credits, child benefit, husbands wages and whatever else you are entitled to, it should be possible (essential when you have children) to put aside even a few pounds a month for a rainy day.

tishunt

our credit was £50 approx with the review i was expecting the new weekly amount to be around £20 ish.
Have food in cupboards for a couple of days. I do keep a budget and a strict one at that.
we have a hybrid car so need little fuel but it does need some due to the nature of the journey.

I reset the comments about the fact I need to look at my budget etc as I am very thorough at this - it is just unfortunate that this month we had an unexpected additional spend which has resulted in me relying on todays child tax credit!!!!

Cornish_piskie

How long was this £20 supposed to cover? If it's just a couple of days then you don't need to worry about fuel for getting children to school as it's the weekend Food-wise, I'll bet you have enough stock items in your cupboard/fridge and freezer to see you over a few days - the old style board on here have fantastic posters who can create fab meals out of seemingly nothing!

Try not to get in this position again where you absolutely rely on a £20 payment (particularly when it's an electronic one) - I have a little pot that I throw a few pound coins and 50p pieces into, I know it's there if the proverbial does hit the fan

fabforty

tishunt wrote: »

our credit was £50 approx with the review i was expecting the new weekly amount to be around £20 ish.
Have food in cupboards for a couple of days. I do keep a budget and a strict one at that.
we have a hybrid car so need little fuel but it does need some due to the nature of the journey.

I reset the comments about the fact I need to look at my budget etc as I am very thorough at this - it is just unfortunate that this month we had an unexpected additional spend which has resulted in me relying on todays child tax credit!!!!

To be fair to the previous posters, I really don't see anything in their posts for you to resent. It is not clear from your post exactly what advice you were after. People could have just joined into your rant about HMRC, but that doesn't help with your immediate problem of how to feed your family.
Instead they have offered solutions as to how you can raise the £20 that you say you were expecting.

Furthermore, I know you say that you run a tight budget already, but if one unexpected payment this month has put you into a position where you (according to your first post) had absolutely no food in the house with which to feed your family, then perhaps it is worth looking at that budget again and trying to incorporate a small savings pot. Another tip is to try to build up a stock of basic store cupboard items - rice, pasta, tuna, cereal etc., so that if the worst happens again, you do not have to worry about how you are going to eat.

shedboy94

tishunt wrote: »

Just thought i would update you all on todays occurance with the HMRC...

Having checked my bank account for the wkly child tax credit I discover no payment had been made.
Checked with bank - no issues no o/s payments
Called HMRC.

Outcome: they have processed my review and I am no longer entitled to payment.

ME: has the review been completed in full i.e. have you added the fact that husband salary greatly reduced and no company car - details were all added on the comments and had been advised i was due a payment via phone.

HMRC: no - we have not included any data from the comments box - what is the new details

ME: gave new details does this mean I do not get a payment?

HMRC: Yes

ME: Does that mean I do not get a paymeent this week?

HMRC: Yes a letter was issued 17/6/13 stating this however I have reviewed your details and a revised payment will be sent end of next week.

ME: what do I do in the meantime, I have no money for food or fuel - was expecting £20. this was needed for food (family 0f 4) and fuel to get to work and children to school (they go 8 miles away from home not my choice local govt!!!)

HMRC: nothing we can do

I then spoke to both a team leader and a complaints manager.

I reiterated to them that I had not been notified of change to Tax credit, although letter issued doesn't mean posted (sent to mailing co who tends to print every few days!! Worked in one for HMRC!!!)
I have not money for food, fuel - hence unable to get children to school, me to work or feed the family - what do I do???

Advised to go to local food bank, job centre, council - all ready done so told no support as in employment. Ask loan from friends and family - I lead a sad life and do not have any friends/family close enough to ask. Get advance from work - takes 7 days and then by cheque!!

Ultimately, I have no money.

I asked the HMRC if this was acceptable - reply: no

I am now in a situation that I cannot collect my children from school this evening, feed them from Sat to Thurs (hubby paid on friday!!!) and can;'t get to work.

THis will then mean issues with schools, starving family, no payment/disciplinary from work!!!!

HMRC cannot help!!!!

DEspite that they have complted the review incorrectly and we are suffering due to someones incompetence in reading the review form correctly - we have to suffer - that is not right.

I have done everything by the book followed their guidelines and now being penalised.

In a way I am fortunate that I know I have money due in next week - but what about those that don't...does the HMRC really care or is a case of the computer says no.

HMRC says they will investigate my complaint fully - this will take 3 weeks and let me know the outcome.

Personally, I expect someone to be discplined for the effect that they incompetence will have on the wellbeing of my family.

It is no good enough!!!!!

You've lost me. Did you do the renewal by post.....if so then the renewal is processed on the income figures you provide on the renewal form.........you mentioned the income reducing.......in what year did they reduce?

shedboy94

Also, if you are only receiving £20pw in CTC with 2 children, the HH inc must be approx £30,000

Dontknowanymore

There must be something in your house that you can sell for a score, or pawn.
Like someone said,if it's that bad that you cant feed your kids then contact SS, maybe they can sort out a voucher for Tesco or something?

FBaby

Why are blaming HMRC when the reason why you are in trouble is because you haven't budgeted for emergencies? Emergencies can be anything, and that would count as one. There are many possible reasons why payments could be delayed, putting yourself and your children in a situation where you don't have enough to afford basic food and transport for a week.

I understand your frustration, more importantly your fears, but surely this is a lesson to learn that you should always keep £50 aside just in case something like this happened.