Tax credits & benefits for people in work or looking for work

CAB_Birmingham_representative · 29 August 2012 at 4:41PM

dianne1088 wrote: »

Hi, I need help with benefits. I have just been made redundant and have got a new job but only for 2 hours self employed. I have also started up an agency working 14 hrs weekly but as yet not earning an income from it I am a single parent and at college in my final year. I have a mortgage, very high, and rent out a flat in my home for which I don't pay tax as expenses so high. I am so confused with benefits, as are most advisors I speak to. I need help with a loan to pay for my final year at college and a grant if possible. I also do voluntary work as part of my course but can't afford petrol to and from but can't complete course with out voluntary work as experience needed.
I am completely baffled as to what I am entitled to, I do get child & working tax credit but can't manage on them alone.
I would be grateful of any advice

Dear Dianne,

We are sorry to hear of your worries.

Due to your multiple enquiries, we believe it would be in your best interest to visit your local bureau. To find your local bureau, you can click on the following link:

http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ you should type in your post code in a box which will appear on the right hand side.

By visiting the bureau you can see an advisor face to face, this way we will be better able to assist you. We will also be able to provide you with a benefit check to ensure you are in receipt of the correct benefits. Are you in receipt of Housing benefit?

All our bureaux work on a drop in basis however; we do have different opening times.

In the mean time, you can contact Turn2us who provide specialist benefit advice on 0808 802 2000.

There may be some financial support available to you in regards to meeting college fees, one of which is the ‘Access to Learning Fund’. The Access to Learning Fund can provide extra help if you’re in hardship and need extra financial support. For more information on this, please click on the following link:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/Typesoffinance/DG_171615

Kind regards,
Birmingham CAB

kittykat_017 · 30 August 2012 at 11:59AM

hiya, i applied for working tax credits and child tax credits on the 14/06/12 i received my child credits shortly but did not receive my working credits when i rang up they said i was entitled for it and was a mistake i asked if i would get the money i was owed back dated. once i received my first working credits payment i noticed that i had not had anything back dated when i rang they said they needed to refer it and i would have to wait 18 to get any money owed back to me. After the 18 days i rang up as i had not received a payment they told me that it takes 23 days and to ring back then if i hadn't received it. still not receiving the money after then they i rang up again, they said that they were sending another referal and i would hear from someone shortly, after ten weeks nearly of me being messed about i rang them today and they are telling me now im entitled to something but won't get it until next year as my partner might start working i told them there is no way my partner will be working as she is staying at home looking after are child. they still said though that they are allowed to keep money i am owed from me under potential payment due to this and wont get it till next year as it is easier to reclaim it back this way if i started to work. are they allowed to do this? it is money my family are owed money we've relied on and had to borrow to cope without i dont understand how they are allowed to with held money im owed in case my partner starts working when she won't

Janie23 · 30 August 2012 at 1:04PM

Hi again

I posted a question in June regarding my JSA Appeal as I had disputed the NI contributions that the DWP had stated I made.

My tribunal was held in July and was adjourned so that I could produce pay-slips and a notification from the NI Contributions Office showing the NI I paid in the disputed tax year. I sent this information to them within 14 days as requested but have not had any correspondence from them since. It has been 8 weeks now since the tribunal - could you tell me if there are any usual time scales with the next step and if I can complain and to whom? I am at my wits end.

Also, when I originally started to 'sign on' I was ineligible for Income Support as a relative had left me money in her will and I was over the £16,000 savings threshold. I am still unemployed and unsurprisingly am now under this threshold. Should I now make a new claim for Income Support or would this impact on my JSA appeal - which if successful I would get backdated from February 2012?

I would be grateful for any advice you can give - many thanks.

CAB_Birmingham_representative · 4 September 2012 at 4:24PM

kittykat_017 wrote: »

hiya, i applied for working tax credits and child tax credits on the 14/06/12 i received my child credits shortly but did not receive my working credits when i rang up they said i was entitled for it and was a mistake i asked if i would get the money i was owed back dated. once i received my first working credits payment i noticed that i had not had anything back dated when i rang they said they needed to refer it and i would have to wait 18 to get any money owed back to me. After the 18 days i rang up as i had not received a payment they told me that it takes 23 days and to ring back then if i hadn't received it. still not receiving the money after then they i rang up again, they said that they were sending another referal and i would hear from someone shortly, after ten weeks nearly of me being messed about i rang them today and they are telling me now im entitled to something but won't get it until next year as my partner might start working i told them there is no way my partner will be working as she is staying at home looking after are child. they still said though that they are allowed to keep money i am owed from me under potential payment due to this and wont get it till next year as it is easier to reclaim it back this way if i started to work. are they allowed to do this? it is money my family are owed money we've relied on and had to borrow to cope without i dont understand how they are allowed to with held money im owed in case my partner starts working when she won't

Dear Kittykat_017,

If Working Tax Credit (WTC) is genuinely owed to you then we see no reason why HMRC will hold the payment back. Generally, Working Tax credit can be backdated by up to 31 days.

There are two main courses of action you may wish to take:

1) Appealing the decision.

You can do this in writing or by completing form WTC/AP. You must send your appeal to the HMRC within 30 days of receiving the decision letter. If you appeal, you must include the following in your letter:

Your name and your partners name
Your date of Birth
Your national insurance number
A clear description of what you think they have got wrong.

Keep a copy of the letter and make a note of the date you sent it for future reference.

2) Making a complaint

You will need to exhaust HMRC’s internal complaints procedure as you believe they have made a mistake in regards t your backdated payment for WTC.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/things-go-wrong/complaints-appeals/how-to-complain.htm

You may make a complaint over the phone by calling their helpline on 0345 300 3900 or you may complain in writing to the Complaints Manager at the Tax credit office, Preston, PR1 4AT.

If you write in, put 'Complaint' at the top of your letter and include your:
· full name and address
· National Insurance number
· telephone number
The Complaints Manager will look at your concerns and contact you - normally within 15 working days. They try to resolve most complaints at this stage.

If after this, you are still not satisfied, you can contact the Adjudicators office. The Adjudicator acts as an impartial referee looking into complaints about the HMRC.

You can write to:

The Adjudicator’s Office
8th Floor
Euston Tower
286 Euston Road
London NW1 3US

You can telephone: 0300 057 1111 or 020 7667 1832 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday (apart from Bank Holidays).

They should contact you within ten working days.

For further information on The Adjudicator, please click on the following link:
http://www.adjudicatorsoffice.gov.uk/contact.htm

If you still wish to discuss this further, please contact your local bureau.

Kind regards,
Birmingham CAB

CAB_Birmingham_representative · 4 September 2012 at 5:41PM

Janie23 wrote: »

Hi again

I posted a question in June regarding my JSA Appeal as I had disputed the NI contributions that the DWP had stated I made.

My tribunal was held in July and was adjourned so that I could produce pay-slips and a notification from the NI Contributions Office showing the NI I paid in the disputed tax year. I sent this information to them within 14 days as requested but have not had any correspondence from them since. It has been 8 weeks now since the tribunal - could you tell me if there are any usual time scales with the next step and if I can complain and to whom? I am at my wits end.

Also, when I originally started to 'sign on' I was ineligible for Income Support as a relative had left me money in her will and I was over the £16,000 savings threshold. I am still unemployed and unsurprisingly am now under this threshold. Should I now make a new claim for Income Support or would this impact on my JSA appeal - which if successful I would get backdated from February 2012?

I would be grateful for any advice you can give - many thanks.

Dear Janie 23,

In regards to the time scales, we suggest you write to the Tribunal directly to enquire if your documents have reached them and how long it would take before you receive a response. Although it has been eight weeks, sometimes it may take longer due to the amount of cases Tribunals must go through. If after this you are still not happy, you are within your rights to make a complaint to the manger of the tribunal that is dealing with your case.

From what we understand, you are appealing a decision for contribution based JSA. Whilst this is pending, you may be able to claim another benefit without it affecting your appeal. You have suggested Income Support but there are other qualifying conditions you need to fulfill in order to receive it. In order to establish what benefits you could claim, please contact Job Centre Plus. (If you live in the Birmingham area call: 0845 604 3719).

Due to the nature of your enquiry, it may be in your best interest to contact your local bureau so that you may speak to an advisor face to face. They may also provide you with a benefit check. If you do decide to take this route, please take along all the relevant documents with you. You can find your local bureau by accessing http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

If you require any further clarification, please do contact us again.

Kind regards,
Birmingham CAB

ragel65 · 6 September 2012 at 5:09PM

Hi I had to appeal about my Housing and Council Tax benefit in May after I had a Letter from them saying there'd been a change in our income instead of them having us down as a loss of income ( we lost our WTC because my partner could not increase his hours from 16 - 24hours ) they had us down as a significant increase in WTC therefore we had to pay full rent and council tax rang them and had to supply the relevent information to prove we no longer recieved WTC which I did twice they have increased our Benefits but each time it is still incorrect using the online benefit calculator we should not be eligible to pay either rent or council tax and each letter they send with our benefit reward always says or income is more than we are actually receiving and each time I ask them for a break down of our income they still have us down as picking up WTC and I am told to write to them again to re check our information whilst all this as been going on I have been threatened with eviction by the housing department and been taken to court for non payment of council tax I now am making token gesters of payment to both the housing to prevent eviction and council tax to avoid being passed on to a debt collecting agency my last letter was sent 8 th August and I have still to hear from them. Since this has been going on now for 4 months and is obviously a mistake on their behalf I was wondering what further steps I should take ....legal actions for example

CAB_Birmingham_representative · 10 September 2012 at 2:36PM

ragel65 wrote: »

Hi I had to appeal about my Housing and Council Tax benefit in May after I had a Letter from them saying there'd been a change in our income instead of them having us down as a loss of income ( we lost our WTC because my partner could not increase his hours from 16 - 24hours ) they had us down as a significant increase in WTC therefore we had to pay full rent and council tax rang them and had to supply the relevent information to prove we no longer recieved WTC which I did twice they have increased our Benefits but each time it is still incorrect using the online benefit calculator we should not be eligible to pay either rent or council tax and each letter they send with our benefit reward always says or income is more than we are actually receiving and each time I ask them for a break down of our income they still have us down as picking up WTC and I am told to write to them again to re check our information whilst all this as been going on I have been threatened with eviction by the housing department and been taken to court for non payment of council tax I now am making token gesters of payment to both the housing to prevent eviction and council tax to avoid being passed on to a debt collecting agency my last letter was sent 8 th August and I have still to hear from them. Since this has been going on now for 4 months and is obviously a mistake on their behalf I was wondering what further steps I should take ....legal actions for example

Dear Ragel65,

We are sorry to hear of the problems you are having.

If you believe that your entitlement to Housing benefit/ Council Tax benefit is incorrect, you should consider making a request to get the decision reviewed or making an appeal. Both should be done within one month of receiving the decision letter. The process to appeal/ have the decision reviewed is dependant upon your local council so you will have to contact them to enquire.

You may also wish to make a formal complaint. You may be able to do this by talking to a manager at the relevant local office. If this does not resolve the problem, it may be necessary to put the complaint in writing.

If after the above, you are still not satisfied then you may want to think about contacting an external body called the Local Government Ombudsman who may be able to look into the issue for you. Please note that you will have to go through your local authority’s internal complaints procedure first. You can contact the Local Government Ombudsman on 0300 061 0614 (www.lgo.org.uk)
In regards to the threatened eviction, there is an organisation called Shelter who may be able to assist you further. You can contact their helpline on 0808 800 4444.

If you do have other debts and need assistance with negotiating payment plans with your creditors we would recommend you visit your local bureau where you may be able to make an appointment with a debt specialist. Alternatively, you could also call National debtline on 0808 808 4000.

We hope this information will be of some use to you.

Kind regards,
Birmingham CAB

smod123 · 11 September 2012 at 12:41PM

Hiya . I was wondering if someone can help . my problem is I work but my husband doesnt .in april we was on £958 tax credits a month and I was working 24 hours a week .My husband was on employment support allowance .we renewed our tax credits in april then my husband lost his employment support allowance .we then called tax credits and our payments went down to £750 a month . He then went to the job centre and they took 1 look at him and said he was unfit for work and to reapply for employment support allowance .he did this and was placed back on income based employment support allowance .we then called the hmrc and told them this and was greeted 1st by saying we was on the correct amount due to me working 24 hours a week .we then went on there own website and it came out with a different figure and he also did a benefit check on direct.gov .uk and that came back with the same figure , so he came back to hmrc and said I think I am on the wrong amount .The person he spoke to agreed and then they would send out a new update. it came and went up by 30 quid a month . He then called back and was greeted by a barrage of excuses. can someone give us advice about what to do .

Slinker_2 · 12 September 2012 at 3:18PM

I would just like an explanation as to why we are not entitled to any tax credits based on the following Tax Award Statement. I have tried contacting the tax office numerous times to no avail.Im sure we should be getting something as my income is under the £25 K threshold. Im married and have 1 child who is 1 1/2 years..... Here is a summary of our entitlement claim :

Income for the year 6 April 2012 to 5th April 2013
Mr Simpson (me) Total Income (work full time 47 hours) £24872.65
Mrs Simpson (wife) Total Income (stay at home mum) £0.00

Total Income for the year from 6 April 2011 to 5th April 2012 £33914.00 (including my wifes maternity pay which stopped in at end of May)

Family Elements
Basic from 06/04/2012 to 05/04/2013 £547.50
Total Child Tax Credit Elements £3237.55
Reduction Due To Your Income £3237.55
Amount For The Period £0.00

Are we really entitled to nothing? (confused)

Id be grateful of your advice.

CAB_Birmingham_representative · 14 September 2012 at 2:42PM

smod123 wrote: »

Hiya . I was wondering if someone can help . my problem is I work but my husband doesnt .in april we was on £958 tax credits a month and I was working 24 hours a week .My husband was on employment support allowance .we renewed our tax credits in april then my husband lost his employment support allowance .we then called tax credits and our payments went down to £750 a month . He then went to the job centre and they took 1 look at him and said he was unfit for work and to reapply for employment support allowance .he did this and was placed back on income based employment support allowance .we then called the hmrc and told them this and was greeted 1st by saying we was on the correct amount due to me working 24 hours a week .we then went on there own website and it came out with a different figure and he also did a benefit check on direct.gov .uk and that came back with the same figure , so he came back to hmrc and said I think I am on the wrong amount .The person he spoke to agreed and then they would send out a new update. it came and went up by 30 quid a month . He then called back and was greeted by a barrage of excuses. can someone give us advice about what to do .

Dear Smod123,

It might be best to visit your local Citizens Advice Bureau where you can see someone face to face. By coming to the bureau, we could provide you with a benefit check and we may even book you an appointment to see a specialist advisor who may be able to contact the Tax Credit office on your behalf.

You may also wish to appeal the decision or have it reviewed. For further information on this please click on the following link:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/wtc_ap.pdf

Again, your local bureau will be able to assist you with this process.

Kind regards,
Birmingham CAB

Tax credits & benefits for people in work or looking for work

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