Overwhelmed

cazz2013

Icequeen99 wrote: »

It sounds very much like your claim has been picked up for a pre-claim investigation. Probably because of the recent change in couple status and maybe your employment status is being flagged up.

What do you do for the company? How many hours are you working and how does that match the hours going through RTI? What is the nature of the business?

You need to wait for the letter and then send them the information they require. Unfortunately there isn't much that can be done at this stage.

IQ

Thank-you for your response - I have never heard of pre-claim investigations.

I am the company owner - doing every aspect of the business at the moment, whilst trying to build it up. The company is a small agricultural business - situated on a local community farm (who have kindly allowed the first year rent free to assist with the initial start-up). I have registered as 16 hours a week, on minimum wage (although spending far more time working on site and administration, as any start-up does) and my RTI reflects 16 hours pay per week - paid monthly.

I can provide anything they ask for to prove legitimacy of my working, from contracts, bank accounts, suppliers, everything. As for my husband - he has left the country, but has notified the NI agency - because he needed some documents from them - I am unclear as to what - but they have his forwarding address and everything.

If the tax credits office had just explained this to me, as you have so kindly taken the time to do - then it would have saved me so much upset. I don't understand why this man was so nasty.

Do these processes take too long once I have provided all of the information? Thank-you C

kittykat17

Hi Cazz2013, sorry can't help with most of your questions but wanted to let you know that it took about 8 weeks for my WTC claim to be finalised.


I started a part-time job on 23rd June and cancelled my carers and income support the week before. They both gave me a 4 week run-on as my first pay date was 25th July. I received the WTC claim forms but couldn't send them off until the beginning of August as I had to send my first payslip with the forms. A few days after I started working I finally received my PIP award (after waiting 51 weeks!) and included a copy of the award letter with my wtc claim.


I received a back payment last Tuesday and my first,weekly, payment last Thursday. They took my carers as last year's income and, hopefully, have based this year's on carers from April to June and then on my salary from June til next April.


It does take time but I'm sure you will receive it shortly and, thankfully, it should be back-dated to your original claim date.


So sorry, to hear what you're going through now and hope you and your daughter can get past this as soon as possible and start to rebuild your lives how you want to. Best wishes. Su

Icequeen99

cazz2013 wrote: »

Thank-you for your response - I have never heard of pre-claim investigations.

I am the company owner - doing every aspect of the business at the moment, whilst trying to build it up. The company is a small agricultural business - situated on a local community farm (who have kindly allowed the first year rent free to assist with the initial start-up). I have registered as 16 hours a week, on minimum wage (although spending far more time working on site and administration, as any start-up does) and my RTI reflects 16 hours pay per week - paid monthly.

I can provide anything they ask for to prove legitimacy of my working, from contracts, bank accounts, suppliers, everything. As for my husband - he has left the country, but has notified the NI agency - because he needed some documents from them - I am unclear as to what - but they have his forwarding address and everything.

If the tax credits office had just explained this to me, as you have so kindly taken the time to do - then it would have saved me so much upset. I don't understand why this man was so nasty.

Do these processes take too long once I have provided all of the information? Thank-you C

It really depends what part of the claim they are checking and what evidence they ask you for in your letter. They might be checking one aspect of the claim (For example working hours) or they might be checking several parts of the claim.

For now, you can only wait for the letter and see what they request. You normally have 30 days from the date on the letter to respond.

The difficulty you may have is showing that you are 'separated in circumstances likely to be permanent'. Is your husband still named on the mortgage/rent agreement? Do you have joint bank accounts? Joint utility bills? You need to take steps to put things in your own name if so.

Do you have any evidence he has left the UK and is not coming back?

IQ

cazz2013

Icequeen99 wrote: »

It really depends what part of the claim they are checking and what evidence they ask you for in your letter. They might be checking one aspect of the claim (For example working hours) or they might be checking several parts of the claim.

For now, you can only wait for the letter and see what they request. You normally have 30 days from the date on the letter to respond.

The difficulty you may have is showing that you are 'separated in circumstances likely to be permanent'. Is your husband still named on the mortgage/rent agreement? Do you have joint bank accounts? Joint utility bills? You need to take steps to put things in your own name if so.

Do you have any evidence he has left the UK and is not coming back?

IQ

Hi, the separation is definitely permanent - for reasons I do not wish to go into - but was fully supported by family, CPN & social worker. He has requested documents for proof of his NI contributions to be sent to his new address. The only things my husband is named on is the electoral roll, and the now cancelled joint tax credits claim. We had no joint bank accounts - all utilities are in my sole name, as is the rent agreement. As for proof he left the UK, just the copy of his boarding pass that I printed for him - and his requests to the tax office that his documents are forwarded to his new address abroad - I think to claim jobseekers back in his own country.

Icequeen99

cazz2013 wrote: »

Hi, the separation is definitely permanent - for reasons I do not wish to go into - but was fully supported by family, CPN & social worker. He has requested documents for proof of his NI contributions to be sent to his new address. The only things my husband is named on is the electoral roll, and the now cancelled joint tax credits claim. We had no joint bank accounts - all utilities are in my sole name, as is the rent agreement. As for proof he left the UK, just the copy of his boarding pass that I printed for him - and his requests to the tax office that his documents are forwarded to his new address abroad - I think to claim jobseekers back in his own country.

Sorry I wasn't being nosy as to the reason - just flagging up the question that HMRC will look at and to help you think about evidence. If there is involvement from CPN/Social worker a letter from them might help if there are doubts and the boarding pass etc...

IQ

cazz2013

IQ, Thank-you very much for your advice - I will hopefully receive this letter soon - and be able to provide all of the required information. I am just hoping that it does not take too long - it just makes me so anxious. So glad that I found this forum - it really helps to know their is caring people around with solid information. I will try to keep updated.

kittykat17

blondebubbles wrote: »

Can I ask why you had to send in your payslip with the WTC form?

Have you gave new estimated income for this year? They won't calculate this themselves, they carry forward last years figures until you call to change them.

Hi BB, when HMRC sent me the forms to fill in they included a letter telling me to return it with my first payslip. I was given until 8/8/14 to do so. I included a copy of my employment contract when I returned the forms and told them my estimated income for this year (inc the amount received from CA).


When I finally received the award letter (last Sat) the amount they've given me seemed a bit high so I rang them on Monday to make sure it was right. They told me they'd used the figures I had given them plus had added on the disability premium.


I'll let you know if anything changes or if they write to me again since my call! Thanks BB


By the way, this was my first claim for WTC as I hadn't been able to work for the past 10 years as I was caring for my mother 24/7.

cazz2013

Hello All, Just a quick update - received the letter from the compliance department regarding self-employed status (with a two page list of required information), after phoning and explaining that I am not self-employed but on PAYE of my company - I was advised to send in any payslips, employers PAYE reference number, and information about what my job entails.

The information was posted straight back - and in just over a week - I have a letter saying that my compliance check was complete and my claim has been authorized for payment. After phoning them to confirm, they have advised that payments are due to go in tomorrow. Fingers crossed - I really feel that I might have turned a corner today.

I am so grateful for the help, support and kind words that I have received from forum members during these last few months - I hope I can return the same to others in their times of need. Thank-you to everybody. x