HB/CTB cut as TCO have carried forward payment owed!

Scorpion600

Sorry a little long but I need a bit of a moan as I think I’ll just go quietly out of my mind if I don’t vent somewhere.

I was awarded higher rate mobility in April 07 backdated to October 06 and any one reading this who is unfortunate enough to find themselves having to claim DLA knows how distressing and frustrating the whole process is, I was so relieved when the decision came through, not only grateful for the extra money but joyous that I did not have to go through any more the parading of my pain and suffering in front of complete strangers for the princely sum of £45 per wk + around £44 per wk disability element Tax Credits

Imagine how felt when today I found out that my housing and council tax benefit has been cut by £70 pounds per week because T.C.O will not pay my backdated disability premium by lump sum, they have instead “set it off” against my current award and are paying it to me monthly. stupidly I was still waiting for my backdated payment by cheque when the HB/CTB letter came this morning.

when I phoned TCO today “Ken” told me that I’d have to go through an appeals process, and he’s sending me a form to fill in. this process will probably take months by which time most if not all of the money owed from the 06/07 claim will have been paid to me, so in other words I’ll never see it as Revenue Services are grabbing it straight back (they have already told me there is nothing they can do they have to assess my claim based on my monthly income!)

I had expected HB/CTB to go down because of the disability element of tax credits but I’m now receiving £38 pounds per week less HB/CTB than I was getting before I received my DLA award.

I am so fed up and I just wondered if this has happened to any one else and what others considering claiming DLA could do to avoid it happening to them.

Thanks in advance

Lyn

real1314

But how much extra Tax Credit are you getting each week?

You say that your HB/CTB has dropped by £70 a week, then you say it's dropped by £38 a week?

Your post doesn't make sense as it stands, give the full details and people may be able to advise, but the simple fact is that extra income (apart from dLA and a few others) affects HB and CTB. You would have lost this money if you'd been getting the Disability Element earlier, so you haven't lost out in this respect, it's simply created an "offset".