Tax Credits and changing circumstances(daft process)

Woby_Tide

Not a complaint or moan just an observation about the daft way they deal with any changes in circumstances.

Recently had to change our details with them as Mrs Tide returned to work but on different hours and also junior Tide went to nursery so childcare costs changed. Rang up to say about Mrs T's hours, then for juniors nursery we forgot to get the Ofsted number so they said to call back and change that when we had it. Did that the day afterwards. Now they won't stop chucking money at us but consequently our monthly payment keeps dropping(though over the year we don't lose out thankfully) just a bit annoying to deal with when budgeting!

I.e. our normal pay date was 28th June and got normal amount e.g. £55, rang on 29th June to change the hours so they recalculate yearly amount. They calculate we've already been paid a certain amount since April so for remainder of year they say OK we'll pay you £50 today(1st July) and remainder every 4 weeks. So now we've got £105 of years entitlement paid in 3 days with the rest of years payments now down to £45. Rang up with the Ofsted number the day after, and again they recalculate what we've been paid so far (including what we've been paid on 28th June and 1st July), so pay us another £45 on 2nd July and reduce monthly payment for rest of year to £40! Why they can't just adjust from your next expected payment is beyond me. Daft(plus the amount of leaflet they send out with each new award letter), fair enough we don't lose out, just we have to fiddle with budgets and put money aside ratehr than just expecting £55 each month say.