Partner moved in tax credits changed timescale?

LolStevo

Hi Guys,


Basically my partner moved in around the 6th October and I called tax credits to let them know, I also started a new job the week after so they closed my single claim and sent me a new pack out. It took a week for that to come and I have sent it back yesterday however obviously have had no tax credits for 2 weeks. I rely on my tax credits weekly as my monthly pay pays the rent, tv, council tax, phone and sky and I have nothing else left. Before he moved in I had my children in nursery a couple of days a week which I got help towards and would pay with tax credits every week. Now I know I wont get any help towards as boyfriend isn't working as waiting on his course to finish for his new job. Anyway how long will it take for them to reassess my claim and start my money again? Im really struggling now, don't get housing or council tax benefit, iv used money I got for my birthday to put petrol in the car for work and to pay the water bill and a couple of little bills. Now I don't get paid until the 15th and I need shopping etc! What can I do? I plan on taking my daughter out of nursery as I just cant afford it until his job starts again!!!

abbiesmom

We're in a very similar situation and sent our joint claim back last week, was originally told upto 3 weeks following receipt of claim form but reports online are showing anything from 5-8. I guess it's how straight forward the details are and if we've fully completed the claim form accurately.

Double check your entitlement to HB though as we are currently entitled to help whilst not receiving Tax Credits (perhaps there will be an overpayment when tax credits are sorted but it helps us in the interim)

LolStevo

Have you had yours yet?
I phoned yesterday as still nothing and really struggling! I had to lend money off my dad at the weekend and have £20 to last me until I get paid next Friday! I need petrol in the car to get to work which is around £40 a week so really don't know what to do!


HB told me im not eligible! Partner isn't working so no money from him, my tax credits are the money we live off what put the gas and electricity in and buys the food :-(

philphil1

LolStevo wrote: »

Hi Guys,


Basically my partner moved in around the 6th October and I called tax credits to let them know, I also started a new job the week after so they closed my single claim and sent me a new pack out. It took a week for that to come and I have sent it back yesterday however obviously have had no tax credits for 2 weeks. I rely on my tax credits weekly as my monthly pay pays the rent, tv, council tax, phone and sky and I have nothing else left. Before he moved in I had my children in nursery a couple of days a week which I got help towards and would pay with tax credits every week. Now I know I wont get any help towards as boyfriend isn't working as waiting on his course to finish for his new job. Anyway how long will it take for them to reassess my claim and start my money again? Im really struggling now, don't get housing or council tax benefit, iv used money I got for my birthday to put petrol in the car for work and to pay the water bill and a couple of little bills. Now I don't get paid until the 15th and I need shopping etc! What can I do? I plan on taking my daughter out of nursery as I just cant afford it until his job starts again!!!

Sorry to hear you are in a difficult situation.
I cant help re tax credits, but have you cut down on absolutely everything non-essential to help you in the short term if nothing else?
Call Sky and cancel for the time being until you know you can definitely afford it. Call your mobile phone company and drop your tariff to the bare minimum if possible.

Hope you don't think I'm being judgemental, just stating what i would do in your situation as it appears there is little you can do to 'hurry them up' with your claim

LolStevo

Thank you! Yeah I have been so good with money budgeting wise, I am still in contract with sky so trying to get that down to a lower one and my phone contract cannot be put any lower :-(


I do hope they speed it up as im behind with a lot of payments now, I don't know how they expect you to live with the money just stopping, this wouldn't happen if it were going from a joint to a single claim I find it so unfair!

LolStevo

That's what I mean, I waited 10 days for the application form to come through, then sent it back and been advised 3 weeks from when they receive it which can take upto a week after id sent it. All this time without the money I rely on :-(


The helpline couldn't tell me if they had received my application, just told me to phone in 3 weeks time! I really cant afford to wait that long x

abbiesmom

Still nothing for us either. All my bills have just gone out and am now overdrawn up to my limit waiting for payment.
We're just about getting by with help from our parents to buy food for the kids packed lunches but don't know how long that they'll be able to continue to help out.

All my non-essentials have been cancelled and we've no savings left between us.

It's so frustrating that they wont even tell you if they've received your form and if you call they just tell you to wait until it's been over 5 weeks since you sent it which doesn't help.

Fingers crossed that we both hear something soon

LolStevo

Oh no I think you sent yours before me too! im really struggling! Had to lend another £20 off parents last night for petrol which will do me until the end of the week for work but then I have nothing else! Im on the emergency on my gas im overdrawn as my water bill has come out but don't have an overdraft, don't have any credit cards or anything to live off! I don't know what to do!

abbiesmom

I'm checking my bank daily and still nothing, you'd think the least they could do it send a text to say they've received your form and it's gone for processing.

I'm going out of my mind thinking the worst and that it's been lost in the post and I have to go through all this for longer because of the 5 week rule of not being able to check until it's been over that timeframe.

Thankfully I live within cycling distance of work but am not even considering that option just yet with the weather being so cold and wet

gordo43

In a similar situation - single to joint claim. Old claim was stopped early Oct, new paper claim posted back 10th Oct, heard nothing back. Rang 2 days ago they claim nothing on the system, transferred to another dept who took details to chase it up then said don't ring back for another 3 weeks. By that point it'll be 7 weeks since the single claim was stopped.

abbiesmom

gordo43 wrote: »

In a similar situation - single to joint claim. Old claim was stopped early Oct, new paper claim posted back 10th Oct, heard nothing back. Rang 2 days ago they claim nothing on the system, transferred to another dept who took details to chase it up then said don't ring back for another 3 weeks. By that point it'll be 7 weeks since the single claim was stopped.

Oh my, 7 weeks is such a long time to go without money so relied upon. I really don't know how we'll manage much longer. Our savings have dwindled away keeping our head above water and with Christmas looming it's not the ideal situation to be in.

We've started arguing about money now of all things, he's ever so optimistic that we'll be ok and wants to carry on as normal and I'm panicking and tightening the purse strings further and he's getting frustrated and me more and more stressed.

Planning on having a big sort out of our combined stuff over the weekend to try and sell some things to get the cupboards stocked, other than that I'm all out of ideas now and have to play the waiting game.