Tax Credits Renewals - 2014

JustKeepSwimming_2

pinkypoopydoo wrote: »

I was told this too, and the advisor couldn't understand why I was so upset ("at least you'll get the money"). This means I can't even borrow my mortgage money from my parents, as I won't be able to pay it back, without leaving myself short next month.

I have nothing in the bank, after the rest of this months bills are taken. Nothing. (Well, £1.77). How am I supposed to live? If I miss my mortgage payment, my ex can force the sale of the family house. If I don't feed my children they'll either be taken off me or die of malnutrition. The closest foodbank to me is nearly 50 miles away, and I have no petrol in my car. I've eaten two biscuits (at a friends house), and a plate of beans on toast since Tuesday, when I got the news that, because of the f**k-up, I don;t get money, and it could take weeks for them to rectify, as I need to make sure there's food left in the cupboard for the children.

THEIR F**K-UP, NOT MINE. Yet I'm the one who has to suffer.

I don't have anything to do with TC, so I've no idea how their system works (apart from my own personal experience in claiming TC where I can confirm that certain parts of their "system" doesn't appear to work in the slightest :mad:). Maybe those with insider information will be along to give you more specialised advice.

All I wanted to say to you was have you spoken to your MP about this? My own MP has been extremely helpful in dealing with another government agency & got my long running problem sorted out within days. In my area it is also much easier to drop into your MP's surgeries than it is to get an appointment with CAB (as they are swamped locally) - maybe CAB could help you out too, but I think your MP will have far more clout. Apologies if you've already thought about this.

In my area our local credit union has links to a local, smaller food bank (not part of the Trussell Trust) - do you have one you could approach. If you do have a credit union it may be worth approaching them for a loan - they may decline as they like clients to have saved regularly for a number of weeks (even if its just a few £) but if you can prove why your in such need they may be more accommodating.

Local churches may also be worth contacting directly - some of ours have their own food bank goods which they store for a while before they can get them to the larger, central food bank. They also have the lunch clubs etc. that they may allow you to attend those.

Good luck - that is a truly horrendous situation to be in & it shouldn't be allowed to happen.

JustKeepSwimming_2

I had 2 one off payments paid into my account today (so at least I know something is happening with my claim).

Both just appear as WTC & 1 is for considerably less than the other, which I'm assuming is for the childcare element of WTC as I only claimed for £11/week from April to July.

Does this sound correct? I thought in previous years the childcare elements were always flagged as childcare, & wonder why it may be different this year (although this year doesn't appear to be going well for TC, does it?).

Thanks in advance.

tea-tart-and-rice_3

amiehall wrote: »

If this helps at all, in my experience restorations are usually much quicker than the official timescale and one payment WILL be pushed out when it is processed in addition to your normal weekly payment. It's if you miss more than one payment in the mean time that we get into the situation where it may be spread over the year.

Do you work for Tax Credits amiehall? Am really really hoping your last paragraph works out as Im in a proper panic over this. Frustrated is not the word when we've done all what is asked of us i.e. returned within the heavily laboured deadline. So many things to frustrate not to mention the 9p a minute to call them, the blah blah blah for several minutes before it cuts you off and then the lip service apologies when you finally get through. Hubby is telling me to calm down, that we will be ok, he is always the voice of calm, but right now my b.p must be at dangerous levels. lol. (gotta laugh or will cry, right now too cross to cry)

pinkypoopydoo

JustKeepSwimming wrote: »

I don't have anything to do with TC, so I've no idea how their system works (apart from my own personal experience in claiming TC where I can confirm that certain parts of their "system" doesn't appear to work in the slightest :mad:). Maybe those with insider information will be along to give you more specialised advice.

All I wanted to say to you was have you spoken to your MP about this? My own MP has been extremely helpful in dealing with another government agency & got my long running problem sorted out within days. In my area it is also much easier to drop into your MP's surgeries than it is to get an appointment with CAB (as they are swamped locally) - maybe CAB could help you out too, but I think your MP will have far more clout. Apologies if you've already thought about this.

In my area our local credit union has links to a local, smaller food bank (not part of the Trussell Trust) - do you have one you could approach. If you do have a credit union it may be worth approaching them for a loan - they may decline as they like clients to have saved regularly for a number of weeks (even if its just a few £) but if you can prove why your in such need they may be more accommodating.

Local churches may also be worth contacting directly - some of ours have their own food bank goods which they store for a while before they can get them to the larger, central food bank. They also have the lunch clubs etc. that they may allow you to attend those.

Good luck - that is a truly horrendous situation to be in & it shouldn't be allowed to happen.

Unfortunately I missed my local MP's surgery, as it was on Monday, however I emailed him with the whole sorry tale yesterday, so I wait to see if he can help. I'm not really sure what an MP can do about tax credits?

My local credit union is a nightmare - I saved with them for 2 years, and was still unable to get a loan from them.

Luckily, as I'm in Scotland, our schools went back this week, and the primary school has agreed to provide my youngest child with a hot meal at lunchtime, and I can pay what's owed when this shambles gets sorted, but I'm still waiting on the high school to make a decision.

So much stress. I need a stiff drink and a good nights sleep, but neither will be available until this nightmare is sorted.

KevinG

Happymummy123 wrote: »

Does anyone know how long it will take them to sort this out now? Is it another 8 weeks?

They told me 15 working days which, allowing for the bank holiday, takes me to 1 September.

pinkypoopydoo

I strongly recommend that anyone having any kind of issue with their renewal, phones or emails their local MP.

I emailed my MP last night, explained the situation, and asked if there was anything he could do to help.

I've just had a call from his office to say that they had spoken to HMRC this afternoon, and as a result, my renewal has now been finalised, and next weeks payment will be in my account a day late, with my normal payment schedule resuming from September.

I am SO relieved!! A day late is absolutely fine - that can be easily dealt with!!

tea-tart-and-rice_3

Have just emailed my local MP office. Heres hoping!

JustKeepSwimming_2

pinkypoopydoo wrote: »

I strongly recommend that anyone having any kind of issue with their renewal, phones or emails their local MP.

I emailed my MP last night, explained the situation, and asked if there was anything he could do to help.

I've just had a call from his office to say that they had spoken to HMRC this afternoon, and as a result, my renewal has now been finalised, and next weeks payment will be in my account a day late, with my normal payment schedule resuming from September.

I am SO relieved!! A day late is absolutely fine - that can be easily dealt with!!

I'm so glad to hear that :T

It shouldn't need an MP to sort out stuff that shouldn't need sorting in the first place IYSWIM - wouldn't it be great if TC could just do what they're supposed to do, in the timescales that they have set themselves?

Meanwhile, back here in the real world..... we may moan about MPs/government, but they can really make a huge difference sometimes.

You enjoy that stiff drink & good night's sleep.

olgadapolga

pinkypoopydoo wrote: »

I'm not really sure what an MP can do about tax credits?

They can work wonders, really they can. I was facing an overpayment of £9000 due to a mistake on a renewal, I really struggled with the Tax Credits office (I think that the computer just repeatedly said "no") and got nowhere. I also had major problems at home, which, although they are nothing to do with Tax Credits, really just seem to make dealing with anyone far, far worse. One phone call to my MP's office, an email to him with all the details and a couple of days later it was all sorted out with ONE phone call to the Tax Credits office from my MP. Absolutely brilliant, I was so relieved that I cried (literally buckets which upset the children as they didn't understand why I was crying).

I really hope that you get things sorted out quickly.

Edited to add: Just seen the outcome, glad it's sorted

Flump75

Well after renewing exactly 17 weeks ago I have received my final award notice in the post today