working tax credit

[wicker]

Can anyone shed any light to me on how this works and how much you get etc please

[badger]

This explains the basics
http://www.direct.gov.uk/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/TaxCredits/fs/en

[Tugmistress]

good luck on getting it right, i am going through a right pain in the butt at the moment regarding the year 2003/2004! never mind what came after that!
i'll never claim again!

[kas]

Not you as well, we had to pay every penny back to them in the end.
I know loads of people who had the same problem, look out if your wages rise the following year.

[scorrie]

Can anyone shed any light to me on how this works and how much you get etc please

Tax credit is the biggest load of nonsense in History. Even the staff are clueless about how it impacts on you. The helpline is totally and utterly useless, all they do is ask you how much you expect to earn in the forthcoming year, outside of that they ask you to write in with any complaints.

I was giving the girl on the helpline an updated figure on one occasion and she entered it incorrectly, unbelievably I was told I had to ring back the next day, as they can only update the computer once a day!! Another time I was told that any change in circumstance had to be reported asap. I called to let them know my wife was going back to work in one week's time and was told to ring back on the day she started work, as the computer could not be updated in advance of the date involved!!

Writing in to appeal takes forever to solicit a response, I completed an appeal package in September last year and have had no decision yet. This is the third time they have cocked up our award over the past two years, despite us providing the correct information and reporting every change in circumstances.

It is a sham system, operating on ballpark figures that YOU provide to them in advance of earning the money, and which are only checked in retrospect when they normally put out their hand to take money back from you.

The most frightening thing of all was a letter I received from them saying that because of overpayments our payments should stop but for hardship reasons they would keep paying us on the proviso that we pay it all back at a later date. I called their helpline and pointed out, in no uncertain terms, that if we were in a hardship situation then we could claim income support and not have to pay it back. Anyone unaware of the benefits system could have ended up in debt up to their neck totally needlessly because of the shambolic advice.

Tax Credit forms should come with Prozac pills as standard!!

[Cedric Farthsbottom III]

Hi Wicker.You send for a form,you give them all the details of incomes that are coming into your house and then all your personal stuff like how many kids,etc.You post off your form and then they send you back how much you are entitled to.The lower your income is then the more you should be entitled to.As the only wage earner currently in our house we get around £60 a week.The credit works for me and my family,but as Scorrie says and from listening to my friends it isn't perfect.

[lassieinfife]

I got working tax credit 2 years ago now had a letter saying I have to pay back £100.....what the heck is going on? Some seem to get the credits no bother rest of us suffer one way or the other grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......

[scorrie]

I got working tax credit 2 years ago now had a letter saying I have to pay back £100.....what the heck is going on? Some seem to get the credits no bother rest of us suffer one way or the other grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......

We got a letter asking for the best part of £2000 last year. It was dropped on appeal but we had to wait for five months to find out. As I said earlier, we are in dispute again and no decision has been made after another five months!! Meanwhile we wait, not knowing what we can spend!!

[wicker]

Reason of asking is cos was looking for another job and job i looked at the hours werent guaranteed and could go anything from 20 to 35 hours a week, and as its only me in my house was thinking if i got less hours would i get tax credit but seems like a lot of hassle, just stick where i am until i find another job with guaranteed hours me thinks

[badger]

Seems to me all these Govt. schemes that they like to tell us are so marvellous should be avoided like the plague. When did they ever get a computer system right? They don't have a clue.

[Cedric Farthsbottom III]

wicker,remember that a lot of it has to do with your p60 at the end of the year so like me your annual salary may vary.Just keep letting them know any changes and in my personal circumstances it helps.

[Sara]

http://www.entitledto.co.uk/

Someone posted this link on another list I'm on... perhaps it will help?