Is it worth mentioning I was on WFTC?

annie0103

Hi, I hope someone can give me some advice. I received my list of charges from my account with the Halifax this week, and realised that for the most part of the 6 years I was a single mum in receipt of Working Families Tax Credits as well as Child Benefit. I'm claiming £2832 which to me is an incredible amount to have lost. Amongst other things like being charged £39 for going 40p over (not allowed an overdraft as I was only working part time) I remember being charged yearly for another account that was closed, to find a direct debit on there going out annually. Despite me asking them to close it after I paid up, I still got charged every year until last year when I had enough and told the woman in the bank I wouldn't leave until she closed the account properly as it should have been 6 years previously when my ex hubby and I split up and had separate bank accounts.
I am about to print out a letter to the Halifax from Martin's template - but is it worth me mentioning I was getting WFTC and the charges came out of this?
DEspite spending two hours searching this site, I haven't been able to come up with the answer to this, so I hope it isn't a duplicate. I did find this on another thread (below) but need to know if I should add it to the letter?
Thanks in advance
Annie

Social Security Administration Act 1992
Miscellaneous
Certain benefit to be inalienable

187- Subject to the provisions of this Act, every assignment of, or charge on-
(a)benefit as defined in section 122 of the Contributions and Benefits Act;
(b)any income-related benefit; or
(c)child benefit,
and every agreement to assign or charge such benefit shall be void; and, on the bankruptcy of the beneficiary, such benefit shall not pass to any trustee or other person acting on behalf of his creditors.

Twinkly

annie0103 wrote: »

Hi, I hope someone can give me some advice. I received my list of charges from my account with the Halifax this week, and realised that for the most part of the 6 years I was a single mum in receipt of Working Families Tax Credits as well as Child Benefit. I'm claiming £2832 which to me is an incredible amount to have lost. Amongst other things like being charged £39 for going 40p over (not allowed an overdraft as I was only working part time) I remember being charged yearly for another account that was closed, to find a direct debit on there going out annually. Despite me asking them to close it after I paid up, I still got charged every year until last year when I had enough and told the woman in the bank I wouldn't leave until she closed the account properly as it should have been 6 years previously when my ex hubby and I split up and had separate bank accounts.
I am about to print out a letter to the Halifax from Martin's template - but is it worth me mentioning I was getting WFTC and the charges came out of this?
DEspite spending two hours searching this site, I haven't been able to come up with the answer to this, so I hope it isn't a duplicate. I did find this on another thread (below) but need to know if I should add it to the letter?
Thanks in advance
Annie

Social Security Administration Act 1992
Miscellaneous
Certain benefit to be inalienable

187- Subject to the provisions of this Act, every assignment of, or charge on-
(a)benefit as defined in section 122 of the Contributions and Benefits Act;
(b)any income-related benefit; or
(c)child benefit,
and every agreement to assign or charge such benefit shall be void; and, on the bankruptcy of the beneficiary, such benefit shall not pass to any trustee or other person acting on behalf of his creditors.

I dont like to be negative so I will advise to mention it by all means but unfortunately it won't neccessarily have any sway over your claim. The banks are already aware that their charges are unlawful at current level and breaking the Social Security Act isnt likely to bother them much either.

It is worth mentioning it though as some banks seem to be unaware of it and that it does apply to them. It may be interesting to read their response to this particular point.

Halifax denied it applies to bank charges to me but I was refunded a single charge after various lawful and legal arguements put forward and I think they did it to get rid of me really

annie0103

Thanks very much for the advice