Tax credits not gone in..HELP!

tubie22

Hi,

My partner and I have a joint claim for CTC and WTC. For this current tax year we have been getting £255 CTC (monthly) and £175 WTC, which is paid into my partner's account. He works full time and I am a SAHM. Our tax credits is what we use for our food shopping and to cover my side of the bills (Tv license, phone bill, gas top up, pet insurance, gadget insurance, overdraft repayment).
Our credits were due to go in today but always go in at midnight the night before. However they have not gone in and we have no food and no money to buy anything.
I am really panicking to the point were I didn't sleep at all last night and have just been physically sick with worry. I have nothing to give our 18month old for breakfast as our shopping was due to be delivered this morning but had to be cancelled due to lack of money.

Does anyone have any idea why this might have happened? I will be calling as soon as the line opens at 8am. My OH recently started a new job and notified them of the change as his salary dropped from £17500 to £15500. I am aware that a new tax year is coming up but surely I should still receive my same payment for March as I have been getting all year?
I have been looking at available jobs but realistically cannot work due to complete lack of child care. It would cost us more to put him in a nursery than it does to keep him at home.
I am worried sick. I don't know what we're going to do. We are due to get married in May too so have that to pay for.

Someone please help explain why this could have happened and how I can get it rectified ASAP.

Darksparkle

Tax credits are paid 4 weekly rather than monthly, are you sure you've got the right date?

There no way for us to guess why you've not been paid I'm afraid. Especially if you don't yet know if it's a tax credit issue or a banking one. Start calling at 7.45

Caz3121

tubie22 wrote: »

My OH recently started a new job and notified them of the change as his salary dropped from £17500 to £15500. I am aware that a new tax year is coming up but surely I should still receive my same payment for March as I have been getting all year?

what figure was your award based on (14/15 income) - I am guessing based on your figures this was a lower figure. If the 15/16 income is going to be more than £5k more than the 14/15 income then there may be an adjustment that could impact your payment

tubie22

Caz3121 wrote: »

what figure was your award based on (14/15 income) - I am guessing based on your figures this was a lower figure. If the 15/16 income is going to be more than £5k more than the 14/15 income then there may be an adjustment that could impact your payment

2014/15 was based on £12451. We were aware that the working tax credits would change but weren't aware the child tax creds would, we assumed they were the standard amount and as long as we weren't earning over the threshold, which I was told is £26000, then nothing would change.
Have I got that completely wrong? Either way, we still should have received our March payment as usual before the new tax year starts and any changes come into affect?

Darksparkle

tubie22 wrote: »

2014/15 was based on £12451. We were aware that the working tax credits would change but weren't aware the child tax creds would, we assumed they were the standard amount and as long as we weren't earning over the threshold, which I was told is £26000, then nothing would change.
Have I got that completely wrong? Either way, we still should have received our March payment as usual before the new tax year starts and any changes come into affect?

Child tax credits is income based the same as working tax credits.

You say you told them of a change of salary, what estimate have you given for 2015/16?

You wouldn't be able to update next year's income until the year starts in April.

Most likely you would still be due a payment but it depends entirely on the income figures, what you are entitled to, how much you've already been paid for the year etc.

tubie22

Just called.
I received a letter in October saying remainder left to be paid in Ctc was 1535 with first payment beginning on 4th November. I get 255 a month. So 255 goes into 1535 6 times, meaning I should have got payments right up to April. She said any one off payments we received (that we thought were extra payments from being paid too little previously) come out of the allowance too. So assuming that, I still should have at least received march's payment. I just don't understand this.

tubie22

Basically she said I've been paid my entire amount for the tax year so won't get anything until after April and even then it has gone from 255 a month to 90 a month. I can't live on that. I can't even pay my bills on that, and that's before I buy any food

andrewmp

tubie22 wrote: »

Basically she said I've been paid my entire amount for the tax year so won't get anything until after April and even then it has gone from 255 a month to 90 a month. I can't live on that. I can't even pay my bills on that, and that's before I buy any food

What does she mean by "after April"? If she means after the 1st April then you haven't got long to wait.

tubie22

I am sure I haven't been paid my full amount yet. Can hmrc ever make mistakes?

She said new tax year 6th April but even then my Ctc are going from 255 to 90 a month and I have no idea why.

andrewmp

tubie22 wrote: »

I am sure I haven't been paid my full amount yet. Can hmrc ever make mistakes?

She said new tax year 6th April but even then my Ctc are going from 255 to 90 a month and I have no idea why.

Do you still have your award letter?

If so, add up the payments you've had (by checking your bank statements) and compare it to the amount you were awarded.

How many kids do you have? Even if it's just the one, then based on circa £17500 earnings, you should be getting more than £90 per month. It should be circa £70 per week. So don't stress, you'll be getting more than £90 per month, unless your earnings are above about £23k per year.

Darksparkle

tubie22 wrote: »

Basically she said I've been paid my entire amount for the tax year so won't get anything until after April and even then it has gone from 255 a month to 90 a month. I can't live on that. I can't even pay my bills on that, and that's before I buy any food

As mentioned, it's paid 4 weekly rather than monthly. So if due a payment today your last payment should have been on 22 Feb, can you confirm that's correct?

Your award will show payment details does the notice say you would have been paid today? You said you got a payment 4th Nov which is a Wednesday, every 4 weeks after that would make a payment due this Wednesday rather than today.

Have you tried adding up your payments for the tax year to see if it adds up to your award amount?

As for payments decreasing, I need to know the estimate you gave them for 2015/16 as I asked above: