Tax Credits "System Error"

xxxxpurpsxxxx

Riiiiiiiiiight...OK......not only have I lost faith in TC's but DWP are playing the fools too. Got turned down for IB this morning "not enough NI Contributions" which makes no sence at all seeing as i have had to work serious overtime (for which I paid Income Tax and NI for) to make up for the TC crap

Ithought a quick call to my DWP office would maybe sort me out but NO....i got passed pillar to post (given about 5 different number to call) then was told that as I was already receiving IS that that was all I was entitled to.

My reply..."How the hell can a family of 3 survive on £26 a week?"

Then was told that I had to send in paperwork from my employer confirming the end date of my SSP (which stopped on 31/7/07)

My reply..."incapacity Benefit has them. I'm sure if you ask them nicely they will give them to you"

But alas, that wasnt good enough

So if they want me to go to their "work search interview" (I am already employed) then they will have to sort my benefits out first as i have to travel 30 miles to my nearest office

OK....Rant over.
B******'s

xxxxpurpsxxxx

Okay....Welfare Benefits didnt get anywhere either. maybe i should take a trip down to the TCO and camp out in their reception area until its sorted. grrrrrrr. I think its time I get the CAB involved and possibly a solicitor too.

NAT.B_2

Hi im new& have to post! I cant believe how some of you have had to wait so long??? Ive written my second letter of compalint today to tax credits& i faxed it twice to make sure the sods got it! Ive only been three months for an award& its stressed me out to max....never mindsome of you waiting years....... im so shocked surly theres some we can do? the whole DWP is a mess. ive recently got married so thankfuly we ahve my husband income to just about to live off, but hes just had a £13.000 bill from CSA but that another story! must post in that forum actully!


Just checking thatif anyone hasnt got complaints address(as im new not sure, but you all probly have it)

Contact centres, head office,Trinity Bridge House, 5th floor, west wing,2 dearns place salford M3 5DU

Phone : 0191 6444130
Fax: 01916449117

Has anyoe tried e-mailing Priminster on his web site http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page3.asp

Whether this link will work im not sure?

Good luck to you all x x

NAT.B_2

Morning.....I think i may have put up wrong complaint address

Appartly when Tax Credit rung me back yesterday! Yes rung me BACK!! this number & address was because i complained about an advisor& the lack of ADVICE they gave & for them taking over 6 weeks to send forms out to me!

danielleindebt

hi, i have had bad troubles with the tax credits people. my advice would be to contact your local m.p i did and it was sorted that month. although mine was slightly different. hope this helps.

System

xxxxpurpsxxxx wrote: »

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?"

TCO and Child Benefit systems are completely separate and as such they don't "talk" to each other.

I'm sorry to hear that you are no further forward in trying to get your claim sorted. The problem you are experienceing is entirely due to the TCO computer system not recognising the details regarding the children on the claim. If you were to actually look at the details of your claim your childrens details would be there in black and white but for some obscure reason when the computer calculates your entitlement it ignores it. This is why the problem has occurred and TCO will try many different "workarounds" to try and kick start the claim to calculate correctly but obviously this is failing. So basically this is a technical problem and not due to TCO refusing to believe you have the children.

Now I know that's not much comfort when you are trying to raise a family in these increasingly expensive times but TCO have to keep your existing claim open in the hope that they can fix it rather than start a new claim because if they close the broken claim any entitlement you may be entiteld to for those back years will be lost.

dundeedoll_2

QUOTE
If you were to actually look at the details of your claim your childrens details would be there in black and white but for some obscure reason when the computer calculates your entitlement it ignores it.
This is why the problem has occurred and YCO will try many different "workarounds" to try and kick start the claim to calculate correctly but obviously this is failing. So basically this is a technical problem and not due to TCO refusing to believe you have the children.
QUOTE

Well, Pam, I DID ACTUALLY look at the details in great detail! And no, it said I was not entitled to anything as I had no qualifying children and it did NOT list their names etc. I must admit tho', that when I spoke to the helpline, they did have the children's details on the computer records.

If you were to actually look............when I read that I felt soooo angry! As if I've been battling with this since April 2004 and not even looked at my award properly!!! It sounds so patronising...........but I have read many of your posts trying to help people, Pam and think you probably didn't mean it to sound like that.

I was supposed to have an answer to my 2nd complaint letter by July 2007 - nothing!
Have had a letter this week to inform me I will hear from them by December 19th 2007............Shan't be holding my breath...........

System

Sorry dundeedoll I wasn't clear in my post and I wasn't insinuating that claimants don't read their notices correctly.

I know the kids don't appear on your award notices and it says you have no qualifying children. I was referring to the specifics held on the computer.

Your children are there in black and white but when you go to look (on the computer) at all the elements included that make up the calculation of the award the computer completely ignores them. This is a software problem which the government need to take up with EDS (?) the company which provided both the TCO and CSA system. The ordinary TCO staff member cannot fix it. All they can do is check that all history dates are correct and refer it to some technical bods in the hope that they can do something with it. The scandal is that there are huge numbers of people affected.

Another problem we are increasingly seeing is the inabilty to restore awards when claimants are late completing their Annual Declaration. These claimants are sent a reminder after the deadline date of 31 July and if they respond either in writing or over the phone within 30 days then the award can be restored. That however is the theory. I know of several cases (this year)which have also had to be referred to the technical bods because the normal restoration action has failed.

I would encourage all people affected by these sorts of software problems to hound their MP's as these people countenanced the purchase of this system and wasted millions of £'s of our taxes doing so.

xxxxpurpsxxxx

Thanks Danielleindebt. Unfortunately I have already tried my local MP and the PM (who is currently ignoring me).

Thanks Pam17. I understand the TC and the CB systems arent exactly connected....but I was kinda in the middle of a rant *slaps wrist*

Well...If i thought that i had lost faith in the HMRC I stand corrected.
Now I KNOW i have no faith in them due to the recent "WHOOOPS!!! we lost yours and everyone else's confidential information in the post. Dont worry it is password protected and the password is safely tucked away in the same package that the information is in"

WHEN WILL IT END????

Ok, I have a new plan of attack. Hopefully I can use this CB security blunder as leverage with my TC problem and I'm going to the papers. I was going to get the CAB involved but I cant travel at the moment due to ill health (Thanks again HMRC)

Can anyone tell me how exactly i contact the papers with this?

milliesmama

contact your mp, i did and things are hopefully sorted now...payment due in bank tomorrow.....keep it crossed!!!