It sounds to me like your renewal hasn't been processed if your payments haven't even slightly wavered or you haven't received the extra payment (normally you receive an extra payment when the system processes your renewal). As for why it is taking so long, only HMRC will know. I sent my renewal in by post on 05 July and have only just really had my award amended and renewed but I have still not received any paperwork. Do you claim childcare on your award? Just trying to think of any reason why it could be taking longer other than that they have put new processes in place. Or did you have any changes last tax year? I think my delay was due to the childcare "review" that has just taken place but my renewal has made me very cautious until I receive my actual award as I estimated an overpayment of approx £8000 (i didn't notify them until Nov 10 that shouldn't have got childcare in that tax year) and my payments have increased slightly. All very strange as my renewal was processed just after the review was completed so I would have thought the two were tied?!?!?!? As i said I still don't feel 100% confident until I actually have my award notice in my hand.

Since sending in your renewal have your payments changed? I.e. Is it apparant that your renewal has been completed you're just waiting paperwork? I haven't received paperwork but I know my renewal has been completed.

I think 45002 has misunderstood. We aren't talking about physically accessing money, we're talking about gaining access to information in relation to accounts. Think I may have got out of bed the wrong side this morning but jareds comment has infuriated me!! Benefits are for the needy of our society, needy means cannot do without help from the state. I fell on hard times at the beginning of the year and had no other option but to claim benefits until we go back on our feet; if I had of had money "stashed" away I wouldn't have claimed benefits. Ooooh it makes me mad!

Oh claire, it's doing my bleedin head in I tell ya lol! God knows!!!! I took the letter as just being a standard one and basically saying that they don't agree with my claim (I.e original claim) which is what I agreed with in my letter. But then my renewal has been sorted after this "review" letter and the helpline has said my new award is on its way so I asked about payments and they've increased?!?! Suppose I'll now wait for the award in post!!!!!

Well my situation has just got even more bizarre. Received a letter from HMRC this morning (dated 25/08/11) from the compliance team. It is very, very brief and just says:- " RE: Your tax credits for 2010-2011. I have made a decision that I do not accept your childcare costs. I have adjusted your claim as a result. You will soon receive an award notice detailing your tax credits for 2010/2011. If you have an advisor acting on your behalf please show them this letter." Firstly I am very pleased as this letter obviously signifies that they are not taking the matter any further but it has confused me even more!!!!! My husband called them on Tuesday to notify them that I had started work and to give them my work details. Yesterday I called them as we received an extra payment in our account and was advised that it was due to my renewal being completed and that my weekly amount was approx £8 per week more than before. My question is - the renewal has obviously been completed after the "review" so how on earth am I ending up with more money?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I know I did pay an overpayment back earlier on this year (between Jan-April) but I am sure that was only around £1000. I was honest on my renewal and I was brutally honest in my letter to the compliance team that I had falsely claimed childcare between April-Nov 2010. Does anyone have any thoughts?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Well my situation has just got even more bizarre. Received a letter from HMRC this morning (dated 25/08/11) from the compliance team. It is very, very brief and just says:- " RE: Your tax credits for 2010-2011. I have made a decision that I do not accept your childcare costs. I have adjusted your claim as a result. You will soon receive an award notice detailing your tax credits for 2010/2011. If you have an advisor acting on your behalf please show them this letter." Firstly I am very pleased as this letter obviously signifies that they are not taking the matter any further but it has confused me even more!!!!! My husband called them on Tuesday to notify them that I had started work and to give them my work details. Yesterday I called them as we received an extra payment in our account and was advised that it was due to my renewal being completed and that my weekly amount was approx £8 per week more than before. My question is - the renewal has obviously been completed after the "review" so how on earth am I ending up with more money?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I know I did pay an overpayment back earlier on this year (between Jan-April) but I am sure that was only around £1000. I was honest on my renewal and I was brutally honest in my letter to the compliance team that I had falsely claimed childcare between April-Nov 2010. Does anyone have any thoughts?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Well my situation has just got even more bizarre. Received a letter from HMRC this morning (dated 25/08/11) from the compliance team. It is very, very brief and just says:- " RE: Your tax credits for 2010-2011. I have made a decision that I do not accept your childcare costs. I have adjusted your claim as a result. You will soon receive an award notice detailing your tax credits for 2010/2011. If you have an advisor acting on your behalf please show them this letter." Firstly I am very pleased as this letter obviously signifies that they are not taking the matter any further but it has confused me even more!!!!! My husband called them on Tuesday to notify them that I had started work and to give them my work details. Yesterday I called them as we received an extra payment in our account and was advised that it was due to my renewal being completed and that my weekly amount was approx £8 per week more than before. My question is - the renewal has obviously been completed after the "review" so how on earth am I ending up with more money?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I know I did pay an overpayment back earlier on this year (between Jan-April) but I am sure that was only around £1000. I was honest on my renewal and I was brutally honest in my letter to the compliance team that I had falsely claimed childcare between April-Nov 2010. Does anyone have any thoughts?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Well my situation has just got even more bizarre. Received a letter from HMRC this morning (dated 25/08/11) from the compliance team. It is very, very brief and just says:- " RE: Your tax credits for 2010-2011. I have made a decision that I do not accept your childcare costs. I have adjusted your claim as a result. You will soon receive an award notice detailing your tax credits for 2010/2011. If you have an advisor acting on your behalf please show them this letter." Firstly I am very pleased as this letter obviously signifies that they are not taking the matter any further but it has confused me even more!!!!! My husband called them on Tuesday to notify them that I had started work and to give them my work details. Yesterday I called them as we received an extra payment in our account and was advised that it was due to my renewal being completed and that my weekly amount was approx £8 per week more than before. My question is - the renewal has obviously been completed after the "review" so how on earth am I ending up with more money?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I know I did pay an overpayment back earlier on this year (between Jan-April) but I am sure that was only around £1000. I was honest on my renewal and I was brutally honest in my letter to the compliance team that I had falsely claimed childcare between April-Nov 2010. Does anyone have any thoughts?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Well my situation has just got even more bizarre. Received a letter from HMRC this morning (dated 25/08/11) from the compliance team. It is very, very brief and just says:- " RE: Your tax credits for 2010-2011. I have made a decision that I do not accept your childcare costs. I have adjusted your claim as a result. You will soon receive an award notice detailing your tax credits for 2010/2011. If you have an advisor acting on your behalf please show them this letter." Firstly I am very pleased as this letter obviously signifies that they are not taking the matter any further but it has confused me even more!!!!! My husband called them on Tuesday to notify them that I had started work and to give them my work details. Yesterday I called them as we received an extra payment in our account and was advised that it was due to my renewal being completed and that my weekly amount was approx £8 per week more than before. My question is - the renewal has obviously been completed after the "review" so how on earth am I ending up with more money?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I know I did pay an overpayment back earlier on this year (between Jan-April) but I am sure that was only around £1000. I was honest on my renewal and I was brutally honest in my letter to the compliance team that I had falsely claimed childcare between April-Nov 2010. Does anyone have any thoughts?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

My husband asked them and they said we'd paid the overpayment back between jan-apr but obviously that was not £8000, it was around £1000. I cannot do anything more other than wait I guess; we've been honest with them in our renewal and have complied with their "review" promptly and providing correct info. We were told that our renewal was being dealt with by the same team who were "reviewing" but I am being cautious. Tax credits is very complex and I am not quite sure how everything is worked out.

Hi Zara, yes holiday was lovely - thank you for asking! I am not worrying anymore now, I have been honest with them so I am sure at some point I will hear something. My husband called and notified them that I had started work 2 days ago and that has already been processed (i called them today) and we are now going to be getting the WTC element of it. Have you tried to call them?

They will need to be recent ones. Does her wage not get paid into the bank? If it does I would take your bank statement to show the amounts being paid in. When is your meeting and when is her boss back? Is there no-one else in the company that could even write a letter confirming her hours worked and her wage?

Oh I agree - it should be instantaneous but this is the council we are talking about. They have to pass it on to twenty five different departments before it even gets looked at. I know the op has agreed to pay but they have failed to keep to an agreed payment schedule, this non compliance (whether genuine oversight or not) could be deemed as time wasting. The bailiff by threatening to use his powers to enter may be a bluff to worry the op into paying. if they are county court bailiffs imo it is unlikely they'd enter.

I do agree with what you are saying WD BUT time is not something the op has. Between paying council and notifying them the bailif *could* already have gained access.

Unless legislation has changed yes. Commercial and domestic debts are treated differently (or were). What type of bailiffs are they? How much is debt for?

Are your business premises solely commercial? If so it is my belief (used to work in this field) that the bailiff can enter your premises without permission but this is ONLY if your premises are just commercial.

Although not experienced in this field I have just done a quick google search and brought up this document. if you have a look at page 6 it talks about the lending criteria and does mention credit checks to verify certain information and to ascertain whether or not there is an ability to pay based on current credit agreements, my interpretation is that yes they credit check and yes it will leave a "footprint" on your credit file. Obviously each "lender" has a certain criteria that they will lend to therefore without applying (it takes 14 days max) I don't think anyone would be able to advise on your eligibility. As I said I have no experience in this area (hadn't even heard of it until your post - the wonders of google eh?!) so someone with better knowledge may be along soon to prove me wrong. Hope it in someway helped

Just picked up on this thread and scanned through the details. Although I can't offer you an advice I know how difficult an IUC is, I had one in 2005 for not declaring Maternity Allowance when I claimed HB/CTB for a short period. I was 36 weeks at the time and it was very, very stressful so my thoughts are with you and you will receive some fantastic advice and support on here. I am sure government departments understand that peoples circumstances are NOT straight forward. Good luck! When is your 2nd IUC? x

You will just have to take the info you have to the interview if her boss isn't back. Does your partner get paid into the bank? If so I would take bank statements showing the last five wages and any wage slips which she has at home.

Obviously I know this is nothing to do with fraud BUT I watched an episode of the BBC series "Saints and Scroungers" a couple of months back and on there the councils fraud department were accessing details of bank accounts etc and that is how they caught a lot of people out. I presume if one department has access to them others would too? Just a thought.

In Nov my income changed and then again in January when we claimed benefits (IB JSA), which they were aware about. My renewal provided correct figures including earnings and also JSA. I have just started work and notified them yesterday of this so the figures they are using are the ones on the renewal as they won't have updated their system yet.

My renewal was 100% correct but it's a very simple form and only asks for earnings etc (nothing to do with childcare). I stopped my claim for childcare in nov 10 and had a slight overpayment at that point which was taken from amended payments. At present I am only getting child tax credits (until their system updates with my new work details) and on my online banking it says child tax credits. I haven't received my new award as yet so suppose things may be clearer when I receive that?!

So what's your story then danny? I am even more confused with mine now lol

Well my situation has just got even more bizarre and I don't know what to think As you know I was being "reviewed" with regards to childcare and I sent in full disclosure about 2 wks ago (estimated I owed approx £8000) and I presumed that this "review" was the reason my renewal hadn't been processed because I sent it in at beginning of July and then the childcare letter turned up 5/6 weeks after. Well...........checked my bank as normal this morning and an extra payment has been paid (more than I normally get per week by approx £10) so I called them and was advised that my award had been finalised and it had generated an extra payment and that my weekly figure has increased per week. Now my question / worry is; what has happened with regards to the overpayment I have received?!?!?!?!? If my figures have gone up then it's obvious they are not taking any money back. Does this mean that they are going to recover it in a different way (prosecution etc?!?!?!?!?!?!).

Well my situation has just got even more bizarre and I don't know what to think As you know I was being "reviewed" with regards to childcare and I sent in full disclosure about 2 wks ago (estimated I owed approx £8000) and I presumed that this "review" was the reason my renewal hadn't been processed because I sent it in at beginning of July and then the childcare letter turned up 5/6 weeks after. Well...........checked my bank as normal this morning and an extra payment has been paid (more than I normally get per week by approx £10) so I called them and was advised that my award had been finalised and it had generated an extra payment and that my weekly figure has increased per week. Now my question / worry is; what has happened with regards to the overpayment I have received?!?!?!?!? If my figures have gone up then it's obvious they are not taking any money back. Does this mean that they are going to recover it in a different way (prosecution etc?!?!?!?!?!?!).