Child Tax Credit vent

fiddling_flower_petals

Sorry guys for long rambling post, not sure if anybody will understand my ramblings and TC policies and procedures but AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Just need to vent this before I pop a vein.

Last years claim 07 - 08 has been a nightmare, all because in tax year 06 -07 I earned more money.( I left job found alternative employment which fell through, several months off work before starting new job( another story!). )

Naturally I was going to earned less money pa due to time not working, when I started new job I calculated yearly income and TC used this as estimated income.

When I received revised claim noticed TC in there wisdom had retained £440 of my award as a potential payment.
When I rang TC to explain I was informed it was to avoid an overpayment situation in case I'd calculated estimated earnings incorrectly, but was assured when OH and I received our P60 we could ring with actual earnings and the retained payment would be recieved.

Which I understand seems like a good responce to the overpayment situation/critism. We'd be able to manage paying nursery fees for DD & DS. Plus £440 lump sum in April sounded quite appealing.:cool:

As per TC instruction I rang to give actual income for 07 -08, only to be told we'd have to wait until we received claim pack, then we could ring and provide actual figures.:mad: I tried to explain that I would receive too much money this year in our TC award as I would be working for a full year and therefore estimates given for 07- 08 which initially would be used to calculate provisional award for 08 -09. Which fell on deaf ears, to a response of" when your claim pack arrives we'll sort this out." FANTASTIC

Serveral weeks later still no claim pack rang again and tried to blag giving my actual figure told TC I'd received pack( as aware some people had received pack), only to be told we hadn't been issued with pack and could be anytime between now and JUNE.:eek:

* off topic slightly*

Why these packs cannot be printed and posted March or April, it's not like start of new tax year just creeps up by surprise, no wonder , so many claims wrong resulting in over/ underpayments.:mad:

It's hardly rocket science, fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

Anyhow I again tried to explain I was concerned, I would receive too much money until claim pack was received. So TC agreed to take this years 08- 09 estimated earnings so at least this years award would be accurrate, or so you'd think:rolleyes:

This morning I received a provisional award for 2008 -09, on which my OH estimate income is not what I stated (it was less, therefore claim too high). But according to award they need to recoup an overpayment from last year 07 - 08:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Rang up TC immediatly to recify incorrect estimated income for OH and asked why recouping overpayment when we haven't informed actual income for 07 -08. Only to be told TC have used estimate income for 08 -09 as new figure for 07 -08.:eek: :eek: :eek:

BUT DON'T WORRY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE YOUR NEW CLAIM PACK, WE'LL RE ABLE TO RECTIFY:eek: ANY UNDERPAYMENT AND AMEND 08 -09 CLAIM ACCORDINGLY.

It's like banging your head against a brick wall, so not only have TC retained money from last year but now they are underpaying this year because i'll be earning more this year than last year.

Thanks for listening/reading.

NO TROLLS please, I don't have any impact on goverment polices for TC.

I work/ pay taxes and care for children and receive help towards nursery fees, which last time I checked wasn't a crime.