Tax Credits Reduced - No Renewal Pack

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Nikkisun
Nikkisun Posts: 1,330 Forumite
in Benefits & tax credits
I'm slightly confused by my tax credits (will phone them when I get in from work later but am trying to work out what's going on).

For ages I've been receiving £70.66 a week (paid on a Thursday)
On the 6 April this reduced to £66.26
Then on 13 April it reduced again to £64.71
It stayed like this and then I suddenly got an extra payment yesterday of £55.52.
I logged into my tax credit account and it says the next payment will be even less £53.17 (paid on Thursday as usual).

I've not received a renewal pack and there have been no changed to my income - any ideas why it keeps going down?
xxx Nikki xxx
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  • Darksparkle
    Darksparkle Posts: 5,465 Forumite
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    So 2015/16 to 2016/17 income didn't change at all?

    Any one off payments will reduce your regular payments because tax credits is a yearly entitlement split into weekly/4 weekly.
  • Nikkisun
    Nikkisun Posts: 1,330 Forumite
    edited 16 May 2017 at 11:04AM
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    Darksparkle wrote: »
    So 2015/16 to 2016/17 income didn't change at all?

    Any one off payments will reduce your regular payments because tax credits is a yearly entitlement split into weekly/4 weekly.

    Nope no changes to income - we're on a pay freeze at work so it's all exactly the same.

    I don't know why there was an extra payment yesterday - it would be nice if they wrote to you explaining things, it may not seem much to some but £10-£15 a week less makes it difficult to budget (especially when you don't know in advance it's going to go down).
    xxx Nikki xxx
  • zagfles
    zagfles Posts: 20,323 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Chutzpah Haggler
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    So no changes at all since April 2015? No overtime etc? Child reaching 16? Changes to childcare?

    What does your last renewal say you'll be getting this year (there should be a section for payments from April 2017 onwards at the end).
  • Nikkisun
    Nikkisun Posts: 1,330 Forumite
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    zagfles wrote: »
    So no changes at all since April 2015? No overtime etc? Child reaching 16? Changes to childcare?

    What does your last renewal say you'll be getting this year (there should be a section for payments from April 2017 onwards at the end).

    My son was 16 last October but I filled in the form to say that he is staying in full time education.

    No overtime
    No childcare costs

    I can't check my last renewal as I'm at work at the moment - I'll have a look when I get home.

    If I run the figures through the tax credit calculator it says I should be on £70 a week
    xxx Nikki xxx
  • Darksparkle
    Darksparkle Posts: 5,465 Forumite
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    Easiest thing to do would be to phone them or use the online chat.

    The one off payment is usually from the renewal being issued.
  • Nikkisun
    Nikkisun Posts: 1,330 Forumite
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    Darksparkle wrote: »
    Easiest thing to do would be to phone them or use the online chat.

    The one off payment is usually from the renewal being issued.

    Thanks - will give them a call this evening.
    xxx Nikki xxx
  • zagfles
    zagfles Posts: 20,323 Forumite
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    Nikkisun wrote: »
    My son was 16 last October but I filled in the form to say that he is staying in full time education.
    Apparently they don't process that form till 1st Sept so until then they assume that you only get CTC for him till 31 Aug. Daft I know espcially when 16 year olds have to stay in education or training now.
    No overtime
    No childcare costs

    I can't check my last renewal as I'm at work at the moment - I'll have a look when I get home.

    If I run the figures through the tax credit calculator it says I should be on £70 a week
    Probably due to the above, and the extra payment, and timing of payments, you'll get one extra this year as the tax year started on Thu. Also 31 Aug is a Thu.

    Did you check your income is showing correctly on your account?
  • Nikkisun
    Nikkisun Posts: 1,330 Forumite
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    Well I can't find last years letter from Tax Credits (typically though I have the previous 3 years in the folder where it should be). I tried calling them to just be told I have to wait for my renewal pack (which could be another 6 weeks).

    Interestingly I noticed that today's payment (and the extra one last Monday) both say Child Tax Credits on my bank statement whereas previously it's always said Work and Child Tax Credits so I assume that for some reason I've lost the Working part. My hours and pay are the same so I can't see why.

    I've looked at my TC account online and it did say my income was 16400 but it's actually 15300 so I've changed that back but would that small difference mean I lost my working tax credit?
    xxx Nikki xxx
  • Darksparkle
    Darksparkle Posts: 5,465 Forumite
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    zagfles wrote: »
    Apparently they don't process that form till 1st Sept so until then they assume that you only get CTC for him till 31 Aug. Daft I know espcially when 16 year olds have to stay in education or training now.?

    Wouldn't make sense to have the system set up for each individual countries rules around leaving education. Plus it's only non advanced education you can claim tax credits for.
  • zagfles
    zagfles Posts: 20,323 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Chutzpah Haggler
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    Nikkisun wrote: »
    Well I can't find last years letter from Tax Credits (typically though I have the previous 3 years in the folder where it should be). I tried calling them to just be told I have to wait for my renewal pack (which could be another 6 weeks).

    Interestingly I noticed that today's payment (and the extra one last Monday) both say Child Tax Credits on my bank statement whereas previously it's always said Work and Child Tax Credits so I assume that for some reason I've lost the Working part. My hours and pay are the same so I can't see why.

    I've looked at my TC account online and it did say my income was 16400 but it's actually 15300 so I've changed that back but would that small difference mean I lost my working tax credit?
    Yes if you work under 30 hours and have no disabilities.
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