Tax Credits Renewals - 2014

mrs_sparrow

Annoyance got the better of me today, mine has been 7 weeks. I called them today and an automated message telling me to call back on the 10th September as they were 8 weeks behind.

drivinghgv

12 weeks and still no award letter I phoned today (8-09-14) to be told that the new time scale is 30th November, also my claim is with compliance for what reason I do not know but today it isnt with them and do not now why I have been told this. People I have spoken to have had either done and dusted. The woman on the phoned replied well your payments haven't stopped so I don't see the hardship of you waiting for your award!!

Anyone else in same boat?

stephimoon

KevinG wrote: »

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.

We did gross the payments up. Even put in a note on the tax credits renewal form. But lo and behold, on Saturday the awards notice came through our door and they had totally ignored the lower figure we sent them (Just as KevinG said they would). And today we got a letter saying "the amount of income you have given for the tax year is different to the amount shown on our records." Yes, yes it is. And as we explained in our renewal pack, we had deducted gift aid contributions.

There is a phone number on the letter which I've been trying to call all day but it just says something along the lines of: they're really busy and can't take the call so ring back later. Very frustrating. I honestly don't see the point in posting a renewal pack to them if they just ignore what you tell them. :doh:

KevinG

Has there been anything in the national media about this year's fiasco? It really is incredible, they have completely changed the reporting system (i.e. they send out renewal packs but ignore everything you tell them), probably doubling their own work and there seem to be no sensible timescales for anything any more. Luckily I am not suffering undue hardship from my incorrect payments but many others are. I can see no point at all in phoning them even though they have gone beyond the time they said it would take. Last time I tried I went through all the tedious voice prompts to be told that they were too busy to take any calls.

zagfles

If you got a final award decision for last tax year with incorrect figures, I wouldn't rely on getting it sorted out on the phone, you should write to them with correct figures explaining the discrepancy, with any relevant evidence (eg gift aid receipts, pension statements etc). You can lose the chance to appeal if you don't write to them within 30 days.

MummyBobble

DD turned 16 and finished school this summer. I had to phone tax credits and write to child benefit to inform them that she was staying on in full time education. Given that the Government are inisisting that they continue in some form of education or training until they're 18, wouldn't it be easier to assume that they are until the claimant notifies otherwise? This week I received child benefit in full and a random (very small) amount of tax credit so I'm hoping they've processed what I told them though I haven't received any paperwork yet.Fingers crossed!

Dib

I also received a small amount yesterday - have just rung them and I won't get another payment until 30.09.14. The new monthly payment has been rescheduled to take into account the missing payment for September that was due last week - not good news for people who were expecting a full payment at the beginning of September.....

KevinG

zagfles wrote: »

If you got a final award decision for last tax year with incorrect figures, I wouldn't rely on getting it sorted out on the phone, you should write to them with correct figures explaining the discrepancy, with any relevant evidence (eg gift aid receipts, pension statements etc). You can lose the chance to appeal if you don't write to them within 30 days.

I would completely disagree with this, I think the only way to get things sorted out this year is on the phone - if they actually ask for evidence, provide it, but anything sent by post this year just seems to disappear into a black hole.

drivinghgv

You don't get anywhere by talking to them on the phone either

stephimoon

Gah, been trying to call them all day yesterday and today about the gift aid donations and they still can't take my call. This is indeed a terrible fiasco.