I can't get any taxcredits

crunchynutz

My husband and i have approx 22k less tax and NI coming into our household per year. We have my husbands children living with us and they have done for 3 years now since they were 14 and 16. I put in for tax credits 3 years ago and they said that we were entitled to £34 per month. They then took this back off us and we are repaying at £24 per month because they said that they overpaid us and we weren't entitled to anything.

I have since 2004 put in my claim form only for it to be returned saying that we are not entitled to anything. How can this be???

I used the entitled to website and that states that we are entitled to £38 per week. So how come since my stepson was 14 they have refused us any help despite us being on a low income. My cousin and his wife earn 45k a year between them and they get £29 per week.

What am i doing wrong. Any help appreciated.

lainey_stardust

did they say why they had overpaid you back in 2004? you are entitled to a breakdown and explanation.
Also does your hubby get child benefits for your stepchildren? I'm just asking because tax credits are paid to the same person that gets the child benefit, which in this case should be your husband.

crunchynutz

Hi iainey, we get family allowance for the kids, but that's it.

They stated that they had overpaid us because they gave us tax credits for my own daughter who lived with us and we weren't entitled to them despite the fact that she was only 17 at the time and in further education. This is the money that we are busy paying back. But it doesn't explain why they haven't paid us for the last 3 years. it's quite a bit money that we are missing out on and it would come in most useful.

To be honest i am sick of the whole thing now and gave it my last shot about 7 weeks ago. I applied again and the form came back with 0.00 in the entitlement column. I can't understand why someone on 17k a year gets nothing and someone on 40k a year gets a canny amount.

System

You need to make an appointment with your local HMRC enquiry centre. The advisors there will be able to look at your claim on their computer in front of you and check all the details to see if they are correct. They can also have a look at the overpayment and see how that occurred.

It would be helpful if you could give them the dates of when you and your husband became responsible for all the children, any periods when you didn't have them living with if appropriate, and the dates when any relevant children entered Full time non-advanced education.

It would also be helpful if you could take proof from the Child Benefit Office that you are getting child benefit for the children.

lainey_stardust

hi again, pam is right ,you should try and get an appointment at the HMRC enquiry centre. theres definitely something amiss there! or you could try CAB or local advice centre ( i don't know where you live or i might be able to signpost you). There are specialist money advisers at CAB who know how to tackle the Tax Credit office, they are difficult at the best of times and they could lodge an official complaint for you and get your claim escalated.
keep posting & let us know how you get on