Tax credits enquiry - no money

[bananararma]

Hi all,

 

I've been claiming tax credits since the end of 2005 as a single person, as me & my husband split. Didn't really want to, long story, which I'm happy to say, but it's pretty boring..

 

Anyway, we've stayed close, he's always around, and always supported us, as he lived at his mums paying peanuts!!!

 

Anway, after perservering, he finally moved his stuff back in at the beginning of May. I called a few days later to renew my tax credits, as I'm a self emplyed childminder, so had to have the figures from my tax return & told them about my change of circs.

 

I was told they would cancel my claim, and send me a new claim pack, which took about 4-5 days to arrive!!) I sent it off, and then called 2 weeks later to chase. I'd forgot to out my tax ref no on, which they needed before they could process, which I gave them. Why they hadn't called or written to me - who knows... He then said he would submit it through to payments to be processed.

 

Called the following week to be told it needed to be sent to payments for processing... Thought that was done the prev week...

 

Then called last Thurs, to be told it's still waiting to be processed, couldn't give me a time frame.

 

Then on Fri I had a call from an 01253 no I think it was, the tax compliance office, asking me pretty much all the q's that were on the form, and then telling me I would get a letter asking me to send in info. I asked what kind of info, & she said bank states, tax return.

 

I'm worried as I've been googling it, and stupidly, after years of keeping everything for like 6 months, I decided this year there's no point. I pay everything by DD so I know what my payments are each month & know my bills etc, and since childminding, the amount of paperwork I have is unbelieveable, that I don't need to keep extra stuff. Typical, that it seems they will want it all!!

 

I have bank states, & that's about it!

 

I have had no money from them since 14th May. I've been on entitledto.com, and it says we should be getting around £100 per week, so you can imagine ,it's difficult not getting anything for 4 weeks, and not looking at being anytime soon...

 

Anyone shed some light on how long this normally takes? I'd say we're ok for another couple of weeks, but then we're going to struggle badly!! It'll get to the point where I will have to start cancelling DD's so not to incur charges, but it's not something I want to be doing, as I hate getting behind with stuff, expecially when I don't know how long this will take...

 

I'm not sure why they're making an enquiry. Maybe because we're both self employed, maybe because it's because I'm back with my ex-husband & not a new person, perhaps it just s*** luck.... It's just annoying we're not getting any money whilst they're looking at everything!

 

Sorry for the long post, I just worry about everything, and I hate worrying about money - I've suffered more than my fair share of money worries believe me...

[binkhus]

hi

i know how you feel, when i got back together with my husband they stopped my money too. he is self employed to and for nearly 2 months we had only child benefit to live on and the little bit my husband earns (£50 a week if we were lucky!). they didnt care that we have 5 kids and seemed to just wait till i rang to ask for extra info ect.

eventually they did pay up and back date but it doesnt help when you have £3 to feel a family of 7 for 3 days. w were living on rice and pasta.

all i can say is try to hang on in there they will eventually pay you .

[bananararma]

I really hope it's not too long. The thing is, it's not just us. Childminding, I have to provide food for minded kids, which can be another 5 mouths to feed some days...