to ask about tax credits on here?

[NewShooz]

Sorry this is the wrong place, but I really need your thoughts and this seems to be one of the most popular places!

Last week I went online to check my bank balance and noticed that our working tax credits had been dropped by £80 a week. We've had no letter to warn us of this, and our circumstances haven't changed at all. I phoned the tax credit office and was told that this is all we are entitled to now .....but I don't understand why and how this has happened?

I am a stay at home Mum and my husband works full time for a shit wage (around 15k), and has done for the last 2 years. Just wandered if anyone else has taken a huge drop? We're now getting £8 a week! Woopie!!! How can they do this, firstly, without a warning, a secondly, when my Husband isn't earning anymore money then we were last year? Is anyone else in the same situation?

[HauntedLittleLunatic]

I believe that the tax credit calculation formula has changed this year so that could explain a change in amount without change in your circumstances.

That doesn't explain lack of notification though.

[EricNorthmansMistress]

It doesn't sound right. Have you gone on the tax credits website? there is a calculator on there. They do make mistakes, they stopped my nursery claim and dropped mine to £10 a week for no apparent reason.

[CoffeeGoneColdAgain]

There has to be a mistake somewhere along the line as my DP earned 21k last year and we get £300 a month (2 children), I would be giving them a call on Monday morning and trying to get more info from them!

[TheFeministsWife]

Yes mine has dropped quite significantly unfortunately at the same time that my eldest left full time education so tax credits have gone down even more and child benefit too. If your a SAHM and your DH only earns 15k £8 doesn't sound right at all! We're in the same situation as you I'm a SAHM and DH earns just under £15k. £8 a week doesn't sound right at all! How many kids do you have? I get £81 child tax credit for 2 kids and DH gets £14 a week working tax credits. I'd phone them again and make sure they've got your income level right.

[TheFeministsWife]

Sorry that's £81 a week for 2 kids.

[NewShooz]

I did go on to their website and used the calculator, which unfortunately just came up with the same entitlements (give or take a couple of pounds). Which just makes me think that they ARE right, but I still don't understand why....
My daughter has this year gone past the 1 year bracket, which I have been told makes a difference, but surely not THAT much?!

[risingstar]

that is wrong- done a quick check on the hmrc site on 15k with 2 kids, its suggesting someting approaching £900 for working tax and £4k for the child element.

there must be an appeal procedure surely?

[duckdodgers]

There is no way if your only income is £15,000 you should only be entitled to £8 a week, there must be something wrong surely?

[NewShooz]

Feminist, she is my only daughter (18 months). We were getting £89 a week working tax credits a week, and £53 a week child tax credit. The ctc has actually gone up a couple of pounds a week to £59. But the wtc has gone down to £8 a week.

[CoffeeGoneColdAgain]

I think they have done away with the 'baby element' but am not 100% sure! So I assume with your dd being just over one you will have a 'drop' of sorts, but not anything like you have done!

[Groovee]

I've no idea. According to the Calculator I should be getting £277 a month as dh has taken a massive drop in wages and I was off sick for so many months last year on no pay.

[duckdodgers]

Oh and the lack of notification sounds like them as well, Ive always noticed changes via my bank account first and then the letter will turn up from them about a week later explaining the changes.

[stressheaderic]

Give them a ring. This doesn't sound right at all.
With such low incomings (if you don't mind me saying), a drop like that will make a massive difference to your living expenses.

[NewShooz]

Duck, they are crap aren't they?... My husband has said we should challenge it when we eventually receive our letter, so I suppose that's all I can do. In the meantime we are skint the wtc paid for our weekly shop and more.

[NewShooz]

Stress, we've noticed the difference in only 2 weeks I might ring them back on Monday and get them to re-check.

[M0naLisa]

Mu dh worked in and out if jobs last year and only earnt £6410. This year his wage is estimated at around £13,000 so this years income gone up. We get £103 ctc and £89 wtc weekly! Its gone up from £139ctc/wtc per week. I don't understand it either this year.

[duckdodgers]

I would phone them newshooz now, I know what its like to rely on them for groceries and shopping, nothing to be embarrassed about.

They are absolutely awful to deal with, well in my experience, I like to have as little as contact as necessary. At least hopefully things will have improved on a few years ago when it was impossible to get through to them on the phone, generally you lost the will to live before you got speaking to an actual real live human being.