O/T Working Tax Credit

[suepat10]

Apologies to those on my Facebook as I've already had a rant there to.

It really is getting beyond a joke!! Mid-May I submitted a new claim. 4th June I rang to see how it was going. They said there was no sign of it on the system so they'd put through a trace which would take up to two weeks.

I've rung periodically over the two weeks and everytime they've said the 2 weeks is up today. So, I rung today.

Well, according to 'Andrew' the two weeks isn't up today. The department in question doesn't work at the weekend so 2 weeks is actually next Wednesday!!! That's 14 working days. What a load of c**p. Surely 2 weeks is 2 weeks, whether they work Mon-Fri or Sun-Sat.

Funny how the story has changed. I reckon because I had rows with them over my last claim, they've a note on my file saying 'awkward *****, don't help'. Or it could be that my ex-husband and I are temporarily living under the same roof and they think I'm trying to defraud them & I'm being investigated!

I double checked with the CAB that my circumstances (although we are under one roof we aren't a couple in any way shape or form!!!) were fine to claim and they confirmedit - and having read all the literature the Tax Credit people give out I'm definitely fine.

Anyway, it's now been around 6 weeks since I claimed and nothing. The earliest they'll send new forms out will be enxt Wednesday. It's going to be over 2 months by the time this is sorted!!!

Sorry for the rant but their ineptitude is frustrating!

 

[sanicholl]

I completely understand hun tax credits are a nightmare. Thankfully over the last couple of years everything has been sort of ok but in the past they neglected to pay me for 9 months and had to pay for nursery bills of £750 a month on credit cards. I had a breakdown over the whole mess as I eventually had to go bankrupt as all my bills from the 9 months mounted up so high (and my partner was out of work at the time) that I had no way of paying for anything.

Saying that last year my partner and I had a break and he moved into my mums until we sorted stuff out. At the time we had no romantic links other than being the parents to our 2 children. I was investigated by tax credits in belfast and was even informed that we had to claim as a couple as he was living with MY mum and therefore we had a financial link. (the girl I spoke to in the investigation department in belfast thought she had put me on hold but actually didn't and I heard her saying to her colleague "what will I tell her" and her mate said " just tell her there is a financial link". What a load of crap! They have no idea what they are doing and generally make it up as they go along.

I really hope that this gets sorted for you as I know from my own experience that you rely on the money. If the situation gets really bad contact your local MP and see if they can help. Big Hugs :jelous:

 

[suepat10]

Hi Shirley

Sorry to hear about the hassles you had x

My last claim ended with an alleged overpayment of £1,900 which I disputed for months but because of the wording on their forms they were 'right'. I read on a forum about a high court judge who has said morally and ethically he agrees with the public but his hands are tied.

I gave in in the end and negotiated repayments and was then informed that now I was going to 'co-operate' they would try and track my ex-partner. Very patronising!

Fortunately my ex-partner and I can show we have no link whatsoever financially except me paying my share of some bills.

Ah well, at least it's building up a good backpayment though money is VERY tight at the moment!!