Please help! Tax credit review

[j1990]

Hi everyone, I am hoping someone can give me some sort of advice. I have changed my claim from single to joint and it works out that we are not entitled to it anymore, which is what I was expecting anyway, sothey have stopped my claim.

I received another letter saying they are reviewing my case. The want child care receipts for the last financial year. My daughter was with a childminder from beg of April 2011 to the end of October 2011. The weekly cost was £84. Anyway she decided to give up childminding so I rang tax credits to tell them and at was putting her in nursery instead. She is still in that nursery. I now don't pay for nursery as I only work 3 days a week and she is entitled to 15hrs free.

 

I have all my receipts from nursery and a contract so I can send them off no problem. However, I do not have the contract with my childminder anymore and neither does she. She never gave me any receipts, which is probs my fault as I didn't ask. I've spoken to her and she is very willing to write them a letter confirming that she did look after my daughter and confirming the amounts we paid. Problem is, she is no longer a childminder and doesn't remember her child are provider number. I just keep thinking that tax credits won't believe me even though my old childminder is willing to help me.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions or have been in the same situAtion?

[jadeybags]

If she was self employed, she would have records of her child care provider number. Is it possible that she wasn't legit? They may accept her letter, if she was a registered childminder, which I guess she must have been for them to pay for it in the first place?

I wouldn't panic too much yet, but would get her to confirm the dates in writing. And if you paid by direct debit, your bank statements would be good proof too. If you paid by cash, that's pretty risky to do.

[Gbarbm]

The child minded should have been registered with the local authority and would have had a registered number.

I don't know if it's the same where you are, but my local authority has all registered childminders listed.

Try going onto your council website and putting childminders in the search box and if the childminder was registered it should come up

[j1990]

Hi, thanks for your replies. She definitely had a child are provider number because I remember tax credits asking for it and I gave it them, I can't remember it and neither can she. She was on childminding websites but she isn't now cos she quit it. I quite worried now

The child minded should have been registered with the local authority and would have had a registered number.

I don't know if it's the same where you are, but my local authority has all registered childminders listed.

Try going onto your council website and putting childminders in the search box and if the childminder was registered it should come up

[Gbarbm]

Hi, thanks for your replies. She definitely had a child are provider number because I remember tax credits asking for it and I gave it them, I can't remember it and neither can she. She was on childminding websites but she isn't now cos she quit it. I quite worried now

 

 

Ring the local authority, they should be able to give you the details for historic childminders

[susi72]

A childminder legally must have their registration number easily viewable for customers to see at all times.

 

On nurseries this would be on a wall when you enter, a home usually up on a wall in the main room you would drop children off.