Missing payments due to HMRC error!

Melhindley

Rang HMRC to change bank account payments are sent to. Following payment delayed (as expected) but I did receive it into new account.
However, the following 2 payments were not paid! Rang customer services to be told the system had the new bank account number but the old bank account sort code! How can this happen after a successful payment? I haven't changed details since so it wasn't my error! Now I'm told the missing payments (over £400!) will be spread over the rest of the years weekly payments (an extra £4 a week) instead of getting the missed payments in full! I have 4 children and no money for last 2 weeks! And now no possibility of getting that money paid to me! How the hell am I expected to survive?! It's caused horrendous financial hardship but their 'helpline' cannot help! Has anyone experienced this please?

Darksparkle

The helpline cannot control how payments are calculated and when they are paid out. You could try a formal complaint but I think it's unlikely to change anything.

xylophone

I think it's unlikely to change anything

I am wondering why not?

Try a formal complaint and write to your MP.

Darksparkle

xylophone wrote: »

I am wondering why not?

Try a formal complaint and write to your MP.

Because tax credits is a yearly entitlement so as long as she is paid her award for the year then she's had what she's entitled to.

xylophone

Because tax credits is a yearly entitlement so as long as she is paid her award for the year then she's had what she's entitled to.

Well yes, but the fact remains that the OP was expecting her normal payments and it seems entirely the fault of HMRC that the error occurred and hardship resulted.

I think that the OP is fully entitled to be put in the position she would have been had HMRC been competent in their administration.

Darksparkle

xylophone wrote: »

Well yes, but the fact remains that the OP was expecting her normal payments and it seems entirely the fault of HMRC that the error occurred and hardship resulted.

I think that the OP is fully entitled to be put in the position she would have been had HMRC been competent in their administration.

Yes but just because there has been a fault doesn't mean the OP will necessarily get what she wants. I did suggest she complains, but in my experience it does little good. it is not a person that determines how payments are made and when. The system simply calculates how much is due and divides that's into payments.

They previously used manual payments if there were issues but that practice cause a lot of overpayments and isn't used anymore as far as I'm aware.

parkrunner

Melhindley wrote: »

Rang HMRC to change bank account payments are sent to. Following payment delayed (as expected) but I did receive it into new account.
However, the following 2 payments were not paid! Rang customer services to be told the system had the new bank account number but the old bank account sort code! How can this happen after a successful payment? I haven't changed details since so it wasn't my error! Now I'm told the missing payments (over £400!) will be spread over the rest of the years weekly payments (an extra £4 a week) instead of getting the missed payments in full! I have 4 children and no money for last 2 weeks! And now no possibility of getting that money paid to me! How the hell am I expected to survive?! It's caused horrendous financial hardship but their 'helpline' cannot help! Has anyone experienced this please?

Something's wrong with those numbers. £4 a week would take over 100 weeks to pay the £400+

Melhindley

Thanks for responses. Yes £4 a week would take a long time to pay off what's owed but that's all my weekly payments have gone up by now they've been adjusted! Something isn't right. I understand it's done by computers but they surely can't do this to people when it's their fault?
They've sent it to the referral team but I was meant to be contacted Thursday of the outcome but nothing. I've sent a formal complaint too. Doubt I'll hear for ages and the guy on the helpline did some check to see if I qualified for financial hardship help from them but I don't meet the criteria apparently. Surely I'm the definition of someone in financial hardship?
I've called them about 4 ones and each person said different things and couldn't explain why other members of staff had told me different.