Tax credits call centre will not explain calculations.

Rebecca1931

I'm looking for some advice which doesn't seem to be forthcoming on the tax credits helpline.
I work full time and earn only £24k per year. I am a single parent, 3 school age children.
No childcare costs.
I receive £24 a week in child tax credits (over the threshold for working tax credits) but the Hmrc tax credits calculator shows that I'm entitled to more.
I called and queried this but was told my payments are due to my salary. I explained that's the salary I keep entering on their calculator online. The guy laughed and said yes they hold the same salary on their system, laughing, he said it's because your a rich lady!
I wouldn't be so concerned but £24k doesnt stretch well to fund our 4 person family. My ex husband no longer works so I receive no child support. We have don't have luxuries, I can't afford to take us all out as a family it's just too much and I'm struggling to pay the basics on what I earn, children are not cheap! I often resort to the credit card at the end of the month.
Is anyone else on here in a similar set up to myself and knows if £24 pw tax credits sounds right?

Thanks in advance for any advice/insights

Icequeen99

I calculate you should be getting roughly £125 a week.

Something doesn't sound right, have you had your award notice through. Have you had a fall in payments recently or have you always only received £24 a week.

IQ

charlie358

Hi Rebecca,

Hope you don't mind me asking, but have you ever been over paid?

The reason I ask is because my money has dropped by a fair amount each month due to them now being able to take 50% of what you're entitled to.

I am a mum of 3, my husband earnt £23000 last year and I'm getting £64 p/w. It should be £128 but with what they take from me to pay off my over payment I get half instead.

Charlotte

xylophone

Something is not right here - on the face of it you should be receiving close on £500 every four weeks.

And do you make any pension contributions?

Rebecca1931

Thanks both.
Payments did drop drastically last October but this was at the same time that my youngest had started school (ie no more child care costs) and my salary increased to £24k. So assumed this was the cause in the huge drop. But the drop is so huge I've been struggling since then to get by.
I did have an overpayment last year but this is being collected though the debt collectors, I pay £50 pm.
Anyone know of an official way I can challenge the payment figures? The phone calls are like talking to a brick wall. No explanations, I'm just supposed to take it a face value when they say the payment is correct. Which they always say very quickly, they don't sound like they're looking at anything to see if there could be an error. So frustrating!

Rebecca1931

To add I did get the award notice at the time with my current payments on. It didn't look as if they were making deductions for anything. Not sure where it is though at the moment so I could be wrong. Had to send it off recently as evidence for my son's college course funding -seem to have misplaced it...

Rebecca1931

Pension is just the auto enrolment 1%. Does that effect tax credits?

Darksparkle

I would suggest either calling them and asking them to go through your circumstances or ask them for another copy of the award.

xylophone

Pension is just the auto enrolment 1%. Does that effect tax credits?

See https://www.gov.uk/workplace-pensions/what-you-your-employer-and-the-government-pay

"How your take-home pay changes
Joining a workplace pension scheme means that your take-home income will be reduced. But this may:

mean you’re entitled to tax credits or an increase in the amount of tax credits you get (although you may not get this until the next tax year)"

Mersey_2

It's certainly worth you complaining: merely due to the attitude and incorrect advice provided by the person you spoke to at HMRC. It's maladministration.

Icequeen99

Rebecca1931 wrote: »

To add I did get the award notice at the time with my current payments on. It didn't look as if they were making deductions for anything. Not sure where it is though at the moment so I could be wrong. Had to send it off recently as evidence for my son's college course funding -seem to have misplaced it...

It is difficult to tell you whether to appeal or dispute without knowing what is wrong.

You could post the award notice figures here and we can check it for you - or message me and I will happily do it.

You will need to post the details from the part that lists out all of the elements and shows your 'reduction due to income' and then look at the overpayment section and whether it says anything there.

Have you had any new award notices since the beginning of April?

IQ