Tax Credits Renewals - 2014

nattyd_2

nattyd wrote: »

Rang again today - 29 minutes to be told I'll transfer you directly to someone who can tell you the progress - once again transferred not direct but to another queue and I eventually gave up on hold when my phone said I'd been on the phone for a total of 1 hour and 12 minutes - I am getting very annoyed after all this time !!:mad::mad:

So rang this morning and after 3 minutes got through to a helpful chap who told me that yes it had been escalated by email on 31st July to the renewals team but as of today still no futher progress and nothing more they can do (14 weeks waiting today) - in essence all he advised that I just need to sit tight and that in fact he had 4 cases yesterday in exactly the same boat!! Surely something can be done about these delays - if we owed them money they'd soon be chasing us demanding repayment!! Totally exasperated right now.
:mad::mad:

stephimoon

Is it just me or are they taking a lot longer to process renewals this year (I'm sure we got a final decision within a couple of weeks last year)?

I can't remember the exact date that I sent our renewals pack back, but I think it was towards the end of June (as it was just before we moved house). I subsequently phoned them to change our address in the middle of July. I've been to check post at our old address, nothing. Nothing has come to our new address, either. They took our earnings directly from my husband's employer, and we then ended up getting £30 a week.

But when we were renewing we realised that we could deduct gift aid charity donations from our annual earnings, so that's what we filled in. According to online calculators etc, we should be getting around £40 more a week than we are. We could really do with the money!!!! Is it worth giving them a call to find out what's happening?

KevinG

Quick update - got my award notice while I was away last week, dated 31 July. I had renewed online on 24 June. They had ignored the income figure I entered on the renewal and just used the number they had originally from the employer, so I'm not sure what the point of doing it was. Consequently the income was overstated by over £4,000. Anyway, I called today and got through to a human being immediately after answering the voice prompts, no delay whatsoever. They had the figure I had entered online, but not the breakdown of how I got to it, which they don't ask for in any case! So I explained my figure and the records were updated and I should receive a new award notice within three weeks. So, a good service on the helpline, but a rubbish system.

KevinG

stephimoon wrote: »

But when we were renewing we realised that we could deduct gift aid charity donations from our annual earnings, so that's what we filled in. According to online calculators etc, we should be getting around £40 more a week than we are. We could really do with the money!!!! Is it worth giving them a call to find out what's happening?

I hope you remembered to gross the payments up. If your experience is anything like mine, they will ignore the lower figure you have given them in any case and you will have to telephone to explain it.

zagfles

KevinG wrote: »

Quick update - got my award notice while I was away last week, dated 31 July. I had renewed online on 24 June. They had ignored the income figure I entered on the renewal and just used the number they had originally from the employer, so I'm not sure what the point of doing it was. Consequently the income was overstated by over £4,000. Anyway, I called today and got through to a human being immediately after answering the voice prompts, no delay whatsoever. They had the figure I had entered online, but not the breakdown of how I got to it, which they don't ask for in any case! So I explained my figure and the records were updated and I should receive a new award notice within three weeks. So, a good service on the helpline, but a rubbish system.

They really seem to have lost the plot with this RTI system. What is the point in them asking you to provide income details if they then ignore them? Fair enough if they phone or write to you to ask for a explanation of the discrepancy, but it seems they don't, they assume you're either stupid and got it wrong or are a fraudster.

1111

Anyone still waiting for renewal to be processed? I renewed over 8 weeks ago now and have still not heard anything.
I rang and was told its still waiting to be processed, yet other people have had theres done within a week.
I gave my actual income when I renewed, just don't understand why its taking this long. Every year when I renew its done within a couple of days but not this year.

rachie3103

I renewed on the 16th June over the phone, my partner is self-employed. I rang up on the 4th August and was told that it had been processed that morning and that my final figures would take up to 2 weeks to be calculated.

Every other year has only taken a couple of weeks to be finalized and always had an extra payment kicked out although I am not hopeful of that this year!

The difference in my partners estimate and final figure was only -£700 so I don't think there will be any under/overpayment this year will there?

rachie3103

thankyou blondebubbles, the year before we were on jobseekers (joint claim) and my partner has only been self employed since 8th jan this year. I have always updated them with pay increases/decreases so as not to expect any nasty surprises. I am not bothered about an underpayment (not getting my hopes up so to speak), but am hoping I wont have an overpayment to pay back x

rahullrsc2

Hi, would like to know about the latest LIC Pension Plan rates. If anyone can share..

busiscoming2

1111 wrote: »

Anyone still waiting for renewal to be processed? I renewed over 8 weeks ago now and have still not heard anything.
I rang and was told its still waiting to be processed, yet other people have had theres done within a week.
I gave my actual income when I renewed, just don't understand why its taking this long. Every year when I renew its done within a couple of days but not this year.

I renewed about the beginning of June by post, rang to check they had it and was told it would be processed on 31st July. Still haven't heard anything.

As you say it's usually done very quickly. Makes you worry doesn't it.