Tax credits mysteriously suspended

TheStretchedElf

When checking my bank account the other day I noticed we hadn't received our scheduled tax credits payment at the end of May.

My wife rang them up the day after and they said our award had been suspended because some of their letters had been returned to them so they thought we didn't live where we say we live. We're a bit nonplussed by this (to say the least). In fact I just find it quite hard to believe.

Who on earth would send our letters back to them? The only way that could happen is if the postman, or someone intercepting letters from the postman, sent them back to sender for some unknown reason.

And we did receive a letter from them giving us a provisional award, and it seems we're receiving all our other mail, but we haven't had anything telling us they're suspending our claim and they haven't tried to ring us or anything to investigate whether we actually live here.

They've told us that the suspension has been lifted now that we've confirmed by telephone that we still live here (would that really be enough confirmation if they were prepared to suspend our claim) but they can't tell us when we'll be paid May's tax credits. It all sounds very dodgy to me. Should I be worried?

Burnley_Lad

In my job I send a lot of letters out, and I get many back each day with a red Royal Mail sticker on them saying 'addressee has gone away' - I often wonder how the postman knows this?

TheStretchedElf

blondebubbles wrote: »

If happens more often than you think. I wouldn't worry about it if you have been receiving other mail.

Suspending the claim is a safety measure in case something has changed in your circumstances.

Well all I can say is it's a good job I have money in the bank. A few hundred pounds not going into your account when you expect it can have disastrous consequences.

bloolagoon

Annoying but it's a good thing. You wouldn't want them paying money to the wrong address as it could cause problems. If banks did this there would be less identity fraud.

FRESTER

I had this happen a couple of times.
Once because they said they sent letters asking about my employers PAYE ref number.I didn't get the letters.
Another time I can't recall the reason but again letters didn't arrive so of course the working tax part of the claim was suspended until I called them.
To be fair they sorted the problem very fast when I called with the info.