Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP)- Claim; Denied!

The_Big_Bamboo

Due to a few gaps in my wife’s NI/pension ‘qualifying years’ she recently made a Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) claim ‘online’ for the years 1986-2006. Unfortunately her HRP claim has been rejected because, quote: “for the tax years 1986-2006 you aren’t entitled to HRP because you weren’t receiving Child Benefit for a child under 16”

However, my wife was most certainly in receipt of child benefit throughout that entire period as we absolutely had  qualifying children under 16 between those dates. All the pertinent information, dob’s, Nat.ins numbers, full names et al for my wife, myself and our offspring was furnished via the online HRP application process but still the application was denied.

There is an appeals process which can take weeks, but in the meantime can anyone suggest a reason why her claim was rejected?

We wondered if it may be something to do with the fact that we had a joint bank account (still do!) and is it possible that they think I was in receipt of the Child Benefit rather than my wife?

It’s so long ago neither of us can remember how the Child Benefit payments system actually worked.

All replies gratefully received.

 

 

 

 

dunstonh

and is it possible that they think I was in receipt of the Child Benefit rather than my wife?

Often when this response occurs, it turns out that the child benefit was paid to the husband and not the wife.   it isn't down to thinking.   It is recorded under the NI number and is pretty black and white.

We wondered if it may be something to do with the fact that we had a joint bank account (still do!) 

It certainly won't be that.  The bank account ownership has nothing to do with it and would not confuse the issue.

The_Big_Bamboo

dunstonh said:

and is it possible that they think I was in receipt of the Child Benefit rather than my wife?

Often when this response occurs, it turns out that the child benefit was paid to the husband and not the wife.   it isn't down to thinking.   It is recorded under the NI number and is pretty black and white.

We wondered if it may be something to do with the fact that we had a joint bank account (still do!) 

It certainly won't be that.  The bank account ownership has nothing to do with it and would not confuse the issue.

Many thanks for that;...I wasn’t aware that I personally was in receipt of the Child Benefit as opposed to my wife but that may well have been be the case and it would certainly explain why her claim was denied.

Would I or my wife have access to that specific Child Benefit recipient info through Govt.Gateway or some other online means? I’ve had a good look at our Gov.uk accounts and I can’t see it noted anywhere.

 

 

molerat

I don't think there is anywhere you can see that information.  I suspect you will need to ask the specific question of who was receiving the benefit. 

Another reason for not being eligible for HRP is being self employed and not paying class 2 or paying the small stamp.

The_Big_Bamboo

I’ve just had a rather perturbing ‘webchat’ with the HMRC Child Benefit helpdesk,...transcript below:

Me:  My wife needs to claim HRP but first we need to know if it was me or my wife who was the named recipient of the Child Benefit we received for our children from 1986/2006; pls advise.

HMRC operator: We cant help I'm afraid. Records that far back will have been destroyed now

Me: what about just the year 2006 then?

HMRC operator: same thing, we only keep records for about 6 years. Its the norm across many industries, " housekeeping" for a better word, saves storing mounds and mounds of data

Me: Can I speak to someone by phone?

HMRC operator: You can call the helpline but with respect, they won't be telling you any different, that's HMRC policy on data storage

HMRC operator: you might even be able to find that out on google

HMRC operator: The default standard retention period for HMRC records is 6 years plus current, otherwise known as 6 years + 1. This is defined as 6 years after the last entry in a record followed by first review or destruction to be carried out in the additional current (+ 1)

Me: do you have a helpdesk phone number pls?

HMRC operator: 0300 200 3103  I copied that from Gov.UK

*****************

 

They’ve already told my wife that she didn’t receive any Child Benefit from 1986-2006 but if their records only go back to 2013 how do they know?   I’ll try the phone number and see what happens!

 

 

 

 

xylophone

“for the tax years 1986-2006 you aren’t entitled to HRP because you weren’t receiving Child Benefit for a child under 16”

They can only make this statement if they have a record to back it up?

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/child-benefit

Your wife might make a formal enquiry by letter?

Silvertabby

HMRC only keep records for 6 years?  I don't think so! 

The_Big_Bamboo

Silvertabby said:

HMRC only keep records for 6 years?  I don't think so! 

...neither do I. 

dunstonh

...and NI records go back a long long long time.   Logically so because it takes 35 years to qualify for a state pension and more if you want better years to knock off worse years.  You could be looking at 45-50 years of NI records.

The_Big_Bamboo

OP here;

After receiving no help whatsoever from the HMRC Child Benefit help-desk I rang HMRC Pensions and after an eternity on hold spoke to an extremely helpful/knowledgeable operator.

She confirmed that the historic records (yes, they do exist!) showed our Child Benefit payments from 1986-2006 had indeed been paid to me and not my wife.

With that in mind, she also advised that my wife should re-apply for HRP using form CF411 and all being well the Child Benefit record will be transferred from me to my wife, which in-turn will mean the few gaps in my wife’s NI contribution years between 1986 and 2006 should be filled automatically.

Asking the right question is the easy bit,...finding the right person to ask is often not so easy! 

The_Big_Bamboo

OP here; update for anyone remotely interested.

As instructed by the HMRC Pensions help-desk my wife re-applied online for HRP using form CF411; we had a letter today confirming that the HRP application was successful and our Child Benefit record has been transferred from me to my wife.

The gaps in my wife’s NI contribution record between 1986-2006 have now been filled which in turn has made a notable difference to her Pension forecast.

From  ‘online’ application to receiving the ‘application success’ letter was only 5 calendar days, so I guess HMRC deserve some credit, given the current situation.