The plot just gets thicker and thicker!!!! So yesterday a ramdom payment of £14.78 was deposited into my account. Normally the description for payments from this office show up as "child and working tax credit" the description for the amount yesterday was simply "child tax credit". Does this mean anything???? I usually get my payments on a Thursday and this morning I checked my bank account and £10.21 less than normal went in! I am so confused now. Have had no paper work at all from them. Have no idea what the first payment of £14.78 was for and now I have £10.21 less than normal in my bank today.

Don't mind you asking at all, I had no changes to my circumstances last year but I did get a letter out in February asking me to contact their "specialist compliance team" to confirm all my details, which I did and was asked some very personal questions which I answered truthfully. This could have had something to do with it. If I had to bet I would say that they have very big staff shortages (as do most government departments) and have a massive backlog to get through which is why it's taking so long. Could be just luck of the draw on whoever's desk it ends up on etc. Either way the manner in which most of the people here have been treated has been scandalous and disgusting. Even the staff who answer the phones end up being rude if you don't accept what their explantation for delays are. I have had answers such as "there are extra checks being carried out" or "it is with the team manager for processing" or "its a very busy time of year for us" or "it's currently with another department". Everytime I ring I get told something new. Like you, my renewal has never taken this long and I'm not counting my chickens until something has been sent to me in writing cofirming what my payments will be. Is is any wonder people dread ringing them to report changes!!!!!

Do you really think so??? I've never had this happen before. Hope you are right. I hope you will get sorted very soon as well. Don't forget mine has been ongoing for over 11 weeks now so you might be a few weeks behind me. Anyway I'll keep you updated and you do the same. Good luck xx

Well, I have an update. Normally I get my payments every Thursday but I checked my account today and they have deposited almost £15.00 into my account!!!! I just don't understand this, it gets stranger and stranger. Won't have the time to try constantly to get through on the phone to them today to ask why, will just have to wait until tomorrow and see if my normal weekly amount goes in. Anyone have any thoughts??? Has this happened to anyone else??

Yes I'm still in the same boat. Still nothing at all. This waiting is so unnerving. I'm glad Claire is sorted, means there's hope out there for us yet. But I think I'm the longest on here without any paperwork through yet. Never again will I post my renewal I will always phone!!!! Keep me updated

Well, STILL nothing for me. This is now my 11th week. No point in ringing anymore because I either get a rude person on the phone or get told nothing. NIGHTMARE!!!!!

Well I just took the bull by the horns and rang them again this morning. Now I've been told that yes my renewal was received on 31 May and that there were extra checks made on it. What extra checks I don't know. The other bit of information I was told is that just this morning a manager has put on the system that all checks have been done and it is now ready for processing. Again I asked about timescales etc and was told they can't give any definitive time could be 1, 2 3 weeks etc. It sounds a little bit more positive than earlier in the week but until I have that confirmation of my payments in my hand I'm not counting my chickens. My sister just phoned as well and she was told that hers was currently with the "declaration" department, whatever that is and it could take another while to be processed. I cannot beileve this is what they're telling people. Does anyone know what the declaration department is????

Everyone I have asked that has got their renewal through within a few weeks ALL, without fail, telephone their renewal through. Really wish I had have done the same thing now. This is the first year that I have posted it, simply because I just did not have the time to be ringing constantly trying to get through on the phone. As I said in one of my earlier messages way back in February I got a letter to ring the "specialist compliance team" at tax credits so they could check all my details were correct. They basically asked where my ex partner was living, why he didn't see the kids, who helped me mind the kids while I was working, really very personal questions which I answered because I didn't think I had a choice, back then they said everything was fine, my payments would stay the same and that was the end of the matter. I really feel like I'm being singled out now for some reason and it just does not feel nice. Surely someone can help? 10 weeks of waiting.....the sress in unbearable.

Well nothing in the post for me this morning, again. It has been 10 weeks today since I posted it. I just cannot understand what this hold up is. Even if they are investigating my renewal why can't they just tell me that instead of palming me off and treating me like a child. I contacted the citizens advice bureau yesterday and they have advised that all I can do is wait, if I want to they can contact tax credits on my behalf but just to confirm that they have received the form, sure I already know that so there's no point. I just don't want a big overpayment. And as you all have said it is the worry of checking your bank account one day and finding out the payments have suddenly stopped. We all rely on that money for food, bills etc. I have no problem sending utility bills, bank statments to them etc. All my bank statements are in my name although I still think that some of the utility bills may be in joint names with my husband but we have only been separated for just over a year and I just haven't got round to taking his name off everything that comes through the post. Although they'll probably make a big drama out of that!!!! At this stage I DON'T CARE.....I just want to know why I am different to everyone else I know who has renewed their tax credtis recently with no delays or hold ups!!!!! I don't claim any benefits and never have, I own my own home and pay for the bills, I meet all expenses for my children too. What else can I do but give off and vent my frustrations here because noone at the tax credit office seem to care.

Well nothing in the post again yesterday or this morning!!!! Turns out my sister is in exactly the same boat as me. She posted her renewal in a week before me in May and she had heard nothing either. She rang yesterday to enquire and find out what the hold up was and was told more or less the same as me "we have received your renewal and its currenly being processed, your payments won't stop in the meantime". It has now been over 8 weeks and I just don't think it is good enough. Some of my friends renewed theirs over the phone and got their renewal notification with 10 days and I'm waiting 8 weeks!!!!!!If for some reason they are investigating my circumstances or require further information why can't they just tell me that and be open and transparent. As it stands they are still continuing my payments and I could end up receiving any overpayment because off that. Has anyone else had the same experience???

Thanks for the reply. I just don't know why they're being so evasive when I ask what department my renewal has been referred to. Why can't they just tell me where my renewal has been sent and give me more information other than "its being investaigated by another department". I feel like a criminal. If they are looking into my claim and carrying out checks I would rather know that now rather than get a letter or phone call out of the blue. There may well be overpayments made but because they're still continuing to pay me the same weekly amount any anticipated overpayment will be more and is building up weekly. The other thing is when I put on the form my earnings for the year I put an approximate figure on because I had not received my P60 at that stage (started a new job) but I did tick the box approximate. I have never had this problem before. SO SO worried that I have been overpaid and my payments will suddenly stop and I will have hundreds or thousands of pounds to pay back which I just don't have.Has anyone else had the same experience? Has anyone else had the same telephone conversation with Tax Credits?Also the previous letter I had received in February to ring the specialist compliance team is worrying me too. All this must be linked some how but I don't know how. It's the lack of information when I ring that's worrying me and infuriating me more than anything. HELP!!!!!

Hello, I'm so glad I read your comments. I'm in the same boat and so is my sister. I sent my tax credit renewal form back on 26 May 2011 and have heard nothing since, although my payments are continuing. I'm really worried because back in February of this year I received a letter from the "compliance team" asking me to ring to confirm my details and also advising that this was an opportunity to declare whether I was still a single parent or living with a partner. I thought this was unusual but rang and answered all the questions they asked. I thought this was the end of the matter until yesterday when I rang to check on the progress of my renewal. The girl I spoke to was very nice and said that she could not see that my renewal had been received but that she would speak to her supervisor and put me on hold. When she came back on to the telephone her manner had changed slightly and she said that my renewal had been referred to "another department for investigation". I was shocked. I asked what department and she just said another department which she had no control over and that it could take another week, two weeks or six weeks, she wasn't sure, until they contact me for further information. I said what further information, I completed the form and sent it back, her response was I don't know. Now I'm really worried because of the phone call I had to make to the compliance team in February and now this. Am I under investigation? What should I do? Should I contact them again and if I do what questions should I ask? I know my payments are still continuing but I'm so worred about what is happening behind the scenes that I don't know about. Also when I try to ring it takes sometimes an hour to get through, I'm a working mother and just don't have the time to be ringing all the time to chase up my renewal. Any help you can provide would be really appreaciated. Thank you.