Ok, where to start……

At the beginning of April I put a new claim in for Working Tax Credits as a single disabled person working an average of 20 hours per week self employed . Since day one (of them putting the claim on their system) it appears my claim has sat at a status of “Awaiting Award”. I called after the waiting time had elapsed (21 days) as advised by the pre-recorded message on the helpline for an update, I was advised that the compliance team have put a hold on any award being made pending further checks.

I have now waited a further 3 weeks with no progress.

The helpline advisors are unable to tell me why the claim has yet to be awarded or what the problem is. In fact I have been told by a team leader that the initial advisor should have never told me that the claim was with the compliance team!

Tax Credits have not sent me any communication regarding this claim and are unable to tell me anything. I am on the verge of financial ruin and don’t appear to be able to move anywhere with this claim.

I raised a complaint verbally with one of the managers (who I won’t name just yet) and he now appears to be avoiding me. I have not been rude or abusive to anyone, yet they seem unable to give me any guidance or direction other than just wait.

As I can’t speak to the compliance team and no one is able to help I have written in to their office asking why my claim has not been completed or any contact been made. I have not received a reply to this letter as yet.

Does anyone know any hints for making this claim move forward? Are there any rules about the amount of time they can make me wait? Is it usual to just be ignored by compliance team?

Any advice would be good.

Just thought I would post an update.

Still waiting, still no change. Has now been "Awaiting Award" since April. No reply to my written complaint.

Any useful information anyone????

Sorry no useful info, I'd keep ringing and writing, i'd also have a good read through similar threads, I remember seeing something that might help you but can't remember what or where.

I'll have a look round and see if i can find it again.

Thank you.

I have an appointment today with the CAB to see what they can do for me.

I will let you know if they have any useful advice.

xxxxxxxxx

Thank you.

 

I have an appointment today with the CAB to see what they can do for me.

 

I will let you know if they have any useful advice.

Ok, been to see the CAB.

Firstly they were very helpful. Anyone else in this situation I strongly recommend you do the same.

They contacted the TCO with there own number and got straight through. Within 5 mins the compliance team had called the CAB advisor back and discussed what the problem is.

I have now a promise to resolve this within the next 48 hours, a direct contact number for the compliance officer dealing with this claim and feel much better now they are talking to me.

If they don't resolve the issue in the next few days the CAB have given contact details for my local MP (as advised by Loan_Ranger) and have advised to to take the issue to her as well as them continuing to work with them.

Hopefully this will all be done in the next few days now.

Cheers All

Your lucky our CAB office is open for like an hour a week so its hard getting an appointment,dunno what il do

Your lucky our CAB office is open for like an hour a week so its hard getting an appointment,dunno what il do

I understand I am lucky to of seen them today. However I did travel out of my area to see them as where I live is similar to you. I explained to the out of hours advisor my pending doom and they booked me to see an advisor in my nearest major town (Poole). Well worth the trip and effort.

I urge you to try something similar and wish you good luck. :-|

Hello, I'm in the same situation as you - except I don't know if they've passed it to compliance. They 'lost' my first form which took three weeks of me calling for them to tell me. I sent in a second which I sent special delivery so I know they have recieved and now every time I call they just keep saying it is pending award and refuse to give timescales.

I get high rate care dla and low rate mobility and this is really, really stressing me out as I was led to believe it would only take a couple of weeks by my job centre advisor.

I think I might try and contact CAB. Thank you for posting an update on what happened to you.

n1co1a

I am in a similar position to you (or was) and was told about 3 weeks by the jobcenter also. CAB are well worth a trip. I feel much better now someone has taken responsability and started to try to resolve the issue. This is all I needed all along.

I promise I will post again in the next couple of days and tell what happened and where I get to.

I also wish you the best of luck.

Having the same problems,they have told me forms etc all fine but waiting on another depratment.Its stupid im single with three kids and living on 100 a week yet others I have spoken to have had their payments etc within the space of a couple of weeks

You are not getting the money you are entitled to. As a single parent (I assume aged over 18 ) you should have a personal allowance of £65.45, plus £20.30 child benefit for your older child and £13.40 for each of your two other children. = £112.55 per week. On top of that, as your income is low, you should be receiving housing benefit (if you rent) and council tax benefit. On top of that, you are also entitled to child support from the parent who doesn't live with you and the children. That's all before tax credits. If all you are living on is £100 per week then you are not getting your full entitlement.

Try the benefit calculators below to get an idea of what you should be getting in total and claim for the things you are missing out on.

Turn2us

Benefits advisor

You are not getting the money you are entitled to. As a single parent (I assume aged over 18 ) you should have a personal allowance of £65.45, plus £20.30 child benefit for your older child and £13.40 for each of your two other children. = £112.55 per week. On top of that, as your income is low, you should be receiving housing benefit (if you rent) and council tax benefit. On top of that, you are also entitled to child support from the parent who doesn't live with you and the children. That's all before tax credits. If all you are living on is £100 per week then you are not getting your full entitlement.

 

Try the benefit calculators below to get an idea of what you should be getting in total and claim for the things you are missing out on.

 

Turn2us

Benefits advisor

I earn 115 a week and get 43 a week child benefit that is it at the moment.My council tax benefit and housing benefit stopped when I came off income support on 26th April and they will do nothing until my working tax etc is sorted hence the stress I dont get anything for me and the kids dont get anything from dad as dunno where he is x

I earn 115 a week and get 43 a week child benefit that is it at the moment.My council tax benefit and housing benefit stopped when I came off income support on 26th April and they will do nothing until my working tax etc is sorted hence the stress I dont get anything for me and the kids dont get anything from dad as dunno where he is x

Hi,

Maybe a silly thing to say..... But. Do make sure you put your claim for Housing Benefit and council Tax Benefit in asap. They won't calculate it until your Tax Credits award is done but at least it will get back dated.

Sorry if that points out the obvious!

Thanks Space Bloke

You should be getting £47.10 per week in Child benefit; I would suggest raising this with HMRC.

How long have you been waiting for your tax credit decision?

Been three weeks today since they had form,I started work 26th April rang them 27th for forms but they took nearly two weeks to arrive! Was told it would be sorted by June 15th but still no end in sight after calling them today

Three weeks is quite normal for this time of year - they do take longer to sort at this time of year due to the annual reviews. The one thing I have never been able to obtain is an AACT for Tax Credit - not even sure if they have one in place. "Normal" though does not have to be "acceptable".

I waited 3 months for my last award. Every time I rang I was told "It's being processed". Lost patience and went to my local inland revenue office to ask about an interim payment and lo and behold, they discovered something had entered in the computer which (to cut a long story short) meant that had I not gone down there it probably would never have been discovered. That's what was holding my claim back.

I would suggest that in view of the fact you have children, and if not already, will very soon be suffering hardship, contact them again and request someone takes you through the process of applying for a hardship payment, pending the outcome of your claim.

Failing that, you could apply for a Crisis Loan if it gets to the stage where you have no funds for basics. (Loanranger is great with Crisis Loans).

Failing all of that, the only other piece of advise I can give you is to contact your MP to see if he/she can speed up the process.

You can't pay your childcare provider (if you have one - it's not clear), you can't buy the basics, you can't pay your rent and council tax which means that you are at a detriment.

Further, ask the council to make interim payments for housing benefit/council tax benefit. This is when they award you what they think you should qualify for until your claim is determined. They are able to do this after the 14th day from when you claimed. They may refuse on the basis that you haven't provided all of the information they asked for (tax credit income). Still, if you don't ask....

Thanks for ur advice xx

Ok quick update first.

Got a letter today from TCO asking for details of my self employment. No problems! I have registered in all of the correct places and have been registered as self employed for some time now.

One quick question however. If I send the compliance team my invoices, do i have to leave my customers names and addresses visible to the TCO?

I would be rather embarrassed if they contacted my customers about work I have done for them. Especially as I am trying to build customer relationships.

Hi.

Faxed over the details requested by compliance. They were happy with a summary and not all of my invoices as I thought they would want.

All appears to be fine and they have now confirmed what rate and released the backpay to the start of April.

A happy end I suppose. Just the final step of money in my bank then will all be done (which they say they have done).

Thanks to everyone who had an input, I hope the ones in a similar position resolve their situation soon too.

Good luck to all.

Got a letter today,seems mine are with the compliance team also x

Maybe common sense, but if you are able to give them exactly what they asked for it should only be a few more days from here.

The compliance officer who delt with me was happy to receive everything by fax (23 pages in total...) and got my claim going straight away for me.

I received a letter from him today and his closing words were

Quote

"Once again please accept my apologies for the delay in putting your award into payment. Thank you for fully answering all the questions I asked in my letter of the 14 June, and so promptly. In my experience few people do this"

So I guess they can be reasonable. In my experience with them maybe a polite fax might help you also.

Wish you the best of luck. Hopefully it won't take to long now.