Tax credit help needed

comicmankev

Sorry if I go on a bit, but it is a long(ish) story.

We had a second baby in January of Last year. Put the claim in almost immediately, the paid up straight away.

Renewal cam and I didn’t do it the fastest, but phoned and told them my salary details, and was told they needed my other half salary details. I told them it was the same as the year before as she was self employed on a VERY low wage (less than £2k PA) and nothing had changed. The lady told me they needed details down to the pence and it could be the same. So I told her I would get the details from the tax return and phone the following day.

Phoned back the following day and was told that I was too late to update the details and I had to reclaim on a new form. Tried to argue but didn’t get anywhere.

Then received a letter outlining our tax credits that we would receive, but this was for the PREVIOUS year (which we had already received). Following day had a letter saying we had to pay money back because I had not updated my details.

Phoned them again, they told me they have not got my new claim form. They then said they would chase it up and get back to me but I had to wait 2 weeks.

Phoned back about a month later, was told they had nothing and the only thing I could do was fill in another form.

Did that.

All the same thing happened again, said they'd chase it, nothing received. Fill in another form. BUT they also told me that as it was a new claim, they could only backdate 90 days and I would lose out on the rest. I protested and they told me that all of my telephone conversations had been logged and once I eventually get it, I could put in a separate claim for the rest. Oh, and by the way, I also have to put in a claim for the 3 months they want back from after my babies birth.

Now, Can anyone tell me what I need to do to get this right this time? I will obviously send the form recorded but still don't think that anyone at the tax credit end would care if I told them when it was delivered, would they? So what can I do to get this to work? And am I going to be faced with even more problems with the new year looming??

[Deleted User]

You say you didnt complete it the fastest...how late did you leave it? It should have been completed by 31st July and even then you still get 30 days to give the information.
You cannot just say "the same as last year". You must give a figure, if you havent had a tax return done or the P60 hasnt arrived you can give an estimated figure - and state that it is an estimated figure. You then have until the 31st January after that to get hold of the exact income details, rounded down to the nearest pound - not penny.

Regarding the claim form being sent in, unfortunately if the form goes missing in transit there isnt a lot you can do and neither can TCO.

To guarantee that it gets to TCO you can post it via your local enquiry centre who will send it via internal mail. I am not sure if they give you a receipt for it but you can always ask for one to prove you have sent it.

System

subsoniccoyote wrote: »

To guarantee that it gets to TCO you can post it via your local enquiry centre who will send it via internal mail. I am not sure if they give you a receipt for it but you can always ask for one to prove you have sent it.

Sorry but enquiry centres do not give receipts for any forms handed in. Best course of action is send any forms by recorded delivery.

[Deleted User]

Ok, as Pam says - just send it recorded delivery as they dont do receipts.

Wasnt sure if they did and I knew someone on here was an EC adviser (just couldnt remember who it was) and they would be able to confirm if they did or didnt give receipts.

comicmankev

To answer some questions, the last form went by recorded delivery but they said on the phone that that just says it was delivered and can't guarantee it has been processed and that they know where it is!

As for how long I left it, not exactly sure as we had the baby, and I was in hospital and out of action for 6 weeks during the process. I just thought it was a bit annoying that they were willing to take details and I told them I would phone back 2moro, then I phoned back, less than 24 hours later, only to be told I was too late! It was as if those 24 hours took me over the limit.

And as for, 'you can't just say the same as last year', well, maybe not, but that is DEFINATELY what I have done on all the previous years. The person on the phone has always been fine with it, but that was when we wernt actually receiving TC due to repayment of earlier messed up years and the lack of a second child.

I am well aware I should have been on top of this more, but I wasnt. And now I'm trying to. just need to know where to go from here, don't really need to be told where I went wrong cos I know all that! lol