Tax Credits "System Error"

xxxxpurpsxxxx

I am new to the forum so please bear with me.
My problem is a very complicated one but will try to simplify it for you.
My CTC and my Partners WTC payments were abruptly stopped over 3 years ago. Naturally i queried this and was told we were no longer entitled to tax credits as we do not have children (We have a 4 year old son). Eventually we were issued with 4-weekly manual giros from Preston for less than the normal CTC entitlement. nearly four years on we are still receiving these manual giros (at a fraction of what we are entitled to) as a "system error" has prevented the issue of awards and payments. recently we received a cheque from the tax credits office as a "we understand the trouble we have caused you" gesture for a whopping £80!!!

I am hitting on desperation and I dont know what to do can anybody help?

dundeedoll_2

Had a nightmare myself since computer at TC decided I had no qualifying children instead of the 2 children I have in April 2004 - only received 1st payment into bank October 2006 since April 2004.

So, computer error for me too! Have 2 children (13 & 9 in April 2004)
April 2004 my payments suddenly stopped (no letter, just noticed no payment in bank) I rang & questioned this only to be told:
"Oh, your children have 'slipped off the system'. We'll send an e-mail to R&D & it should be sorted in a couple of weeks"

Here we are in July 2007 & guess what!! NO IT'S NOT SORTED!!!!

They sent me demand for repayment of £6000 because I got manual giros but because 'I have no qualifying children' they say I was not entitled and have to repay it. I have written numerous complaints but have not had an answer yet. I also asked for a "we understand the trouble we have caused you" gesture as I went without a penny from them from April 2004 until February 2005 and as a single mum was only able to work part time (for very little money) very nearly had my house reposessed. I lost 2 stone in weight (only 9 1/2 st to start with) and was very close to a nervous breakdown. I could not get another job because of the children needing me and not being able to get (or pay for) childcare in my village area. I still have not heard anything from them apart from demands for the 'overpayment'
xxxxpurpsxxxx vbmenu_register("postmenu_5769422", true); feel free to pm me if you wish

xxxxpurpsxxxx

Finally someone who is experiencing this too. I have tried everything. This all started in March/April too. I have tried writing to my MP who only succeeded in stopping the demands for repayment letters. Although it really didnt solve the problem it did stop TC's from taking me to court so i didnt have to worry about that. I'm currently fighting my THIRD eviction from my home even though i'm on full housing benefit with £200 arrears which came about because I couldnt afford to pay my rent due to Tax Credits messing up and I cant even get TC's to put into writing that they made a major error so i can present it to the courts to try and save my home.

So all in all I've had my MP, my Social worker from the mental health department (who after a half our telephone conversation with the Tax Credits department hung up on them before she could seriously lose her temper) and now a representative from my local councils Welfare department trying to resolve this. I've also had suggestions made to me about taking the Inland Revenue to court.

As its stands.. the manual giro's I receive doesnt even cover the basic Child Tax Credit element (currently at 45.77??)

I'm only just recovering from my nervous breakdown in January this year. If something doesnt happen real soon I will be taking my story to the National papers in hope i can scare them into finally sorting this.

I hope you begin to get your problem sorted real soon and i will keep you posted on any developments i have with this

TheWaltons_3

I would write a huge letter to the Daily Mail about that - they stressed your life out really badly, and whilst every other single mother could go back to work and get childcare paid for, you coudln't, obviously limiting your earnings.

What a shambles. Would make good reading in the paper, more interesting than most of the TC stories.

xxxxpurpsxxxx

I may have to resort to the papers in a last ditch effort.

Will see what happens with my councils Welfare Benefits Team. I must say however..just explaining the situation to people who have authoritive positions (such as my Welfare Benefits Officer) Have expressed varying levels of anger (many involving expletives!) with regard to my problems with the Inland Revenue. One such question they have all asked is "How can they say you don't have qualifying children when its the same system that issues Child Benefit?" I only hope the Welfare Benefits team get at least some kind of movement with this.

I cant help but feel that I'm still at the beginning of all this and quite frankly I view their "compensatory" payment of £80.00 as a serious insult. Bearing in mind my problems have caused me serious difficulties what with being medically signed off work because I ran myself into the ground trying to earn which I should have been receiving from Tax Credits. And there is still no plans for my doctor to declare me mentally and physically fit enough to return to work (I've bee on sick benefits since New Year!!!!)

Thank you for your support and I will keep you updated if anythings happen (note the "if")

creamtea_2

http://familytaxcredit.forumco.com/default.asp this forum is support. There are thousands in this position.

see campaign http://www.taxcreditoverpayment.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/1.html?submenu=0
fantastic support for all :T

bestpud

Oh my word!!! And I thought the few problems we'd had with them were frustrating! :eek:

It really is time for the press isn't it? Sometimes that's what it takes and 4 years really is taking the proverbial!!! :mad:

I'm speechless (for once!)

xxxxpurpsxxxx

ok...so far all i have heard from my welfare benefits team is "the higher customer relations officer will respond by the 29th september" and to be honest...it doesnt look good. I have decided that if the welfare benefits team cant get a result soon I will be contacting the CBA for help in dragging the inland revenue thru the legal process while at the same time bombarding TC's through the newspapers.

Is it possible that simply adding my son to the system wont sort the problem out? call me paranoid but I'm beginning to feel targeted...anything with my name on it seems to belly up as the jobcentre has recently "lost" my incapacity benefit claim.

Will post more info as and when i get it.

dundeedoll_2

Sorry to hear you are still no further forward with sorting out this mess. I really don't think that IR have the slightest idea of just how much this affects people. I totally lost the plot with my mother today. She lives abroad so don't see her much, but she knows that I've had problems with the tax credits. This was the conversation:

'I don't know what I'm going to do about ***(eldest son at college) getting his train ticket. I can't afford to pay nearly £400 to buy the term card. If I could send them an award, I would only have to pay £120, but I haven't got an award as all I do get from them states: 'You have no qualifying children''

'Haven't you sorted that out yet???'

'No, I've written tons of complaint letters and had a reply to tell me I will hear from them by July 20th but then got another to say they are still dealing with it and will reply when they have completed their investigations.'

'I don't know why you've let it drag on this long.....(3 1/2 yrs) you should just tell them to send you an award. It's no good just leaving it, just ring and.......'

She didn't manage to finish whatever pearls of her wisdom she was about to share with me, due to me hyperventilating and then letting out a scream before sobbing down the phone. I was sooooo angry!!! Actually it was more frustration to be honest. I am now just under 7 stone and a nervous wreck through this. I cannot eat or sleep properly and have done everything in my power - apart from go to the press- to try to sort it out and then my mother comes out with that little gem! :mad: :mad: :mad:

xxxxpurpsxxxx

Sorry to hear your still having trouble yourself. Maybe if we do go to the papers then the government will stop turning their backs to the whole IR/TC's fiasco?

Unfortunately I've learned not to get my hopes up and quite honestly dont think this will be sorted any time soon.

But what i can guarantee is my constant hardships because of this mess. I'm still signed off work but my SSP has run out....so I am now trying to claim Incapacity benefit...and even thats turning into a disaster (missing claims, wrong information on their part, etc.) but they think its okay to leave me hanging while they putter away. I receive a small amount of Income Support (£22 every fortnight) as well as my child benefit for one child (who the IR claim doesnt exist even though its paid by IR) and they claim I suffer no hardships HA!!! The only thing getting me through the day at the moment is the thought of the huge back payment I will be due when IR finally pull their finger out.

Dont give up, apply lots of pressure on them

Btw IR informed me my complaint is now #1 in the queue!!! (only took 3 1/2 years) :mad: :mad:

[Deleted User]

I can not offer any advice to you but I had to post and say OMG!!! I feel for you. I would def go to the papers and my local news station too!!!
GOOD LUCK...