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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to swear at the Tax Credits advisor?

132 replies

MountEtna · 17/09/2012 16:08

Feel a bit bad now - god knows why!

H and I split in July. We had a joint claim as he does not earn much and I am self employed. I was told I had to make a new single claim and they would immediately stop the joint one (fair enough) but it would take 2 weeks for me to get a claim form (can't do it on the phone) and then it would take a further 3 weeks to process. So OK I will be left for 5 weeks with no income as I cannot work if I can't pay the childcare for 3 DCs Hmm. H's maintenance is paying the essential bills like food and that's all really.

Rang today as I am 4 weeks down the line, to be told that the advisor is referring my claim to a specialist team as she needs more information. 'What information?' says I. 'I don't know' says she. 'So if you don't know what further information you need, why are you referring it to a specialist team?'. 'Can't answer that' says she. She also says it will take a further 4 weeks from today as it is going to this team.

By this time I have steam coming out of my ears so ask to speak to a manager as she is talking in riddles. After another 10 minute wait in addition to the 20 mins I waited to get through. The manager informs me that the cannot match my children up Hmm. The same children that were on my joint claim and have been claiming for years for. I say to him can you not just look at my joint claim and you will see that they were all on there. 'Hmm' says he 'it's not that easy'.

He appreciates my situation he says. Lone parent, no income, no money 8 weeks for childcare so cannot work to get some. I say 'you appreciate my situation, you don't give a flying FUCK' and slam the phone down.

What a bloody great system. Getting the money to those who need it!

AIBU to feel a bit stressed and a bit bad for being rude?

OP posts:
lisaro · 17/09/2012 16:13

No, you should be ashamed. It's just a normal person doing their job and contending with undermanning, shit systems that were rushed in and unfit for purpose and not great pay.
It's not great, no, but if you don't like it, don't claim. You're way out of order.

Original poster
MountEtna · 17/09/2012 16:15

'if you don't like it, don't claim' WTAF!

OP posts:
TroublesomeEx · 17/09/2012 16:19

Yes very unreasonable. And incredibly rude"

It might not have been her decision to refer it to another team so she might genuinely not have known why it was being referred.

All she did was punch your details into the system, call up your claim form and find that there were notes on it to the effect of "Ref to X team".

Unless you are sitting there in front of the computer screen, how do you know what information they can see?

I agree, it is frustrating, but you shouldn't have sworn and hung up on them. Oh well at least you'll have given them something to laugh/bitch about for 5 mins.

KenLeeeeeee · 17/09/2012 16:21

YWBU, but they're probably used to it unfortunately. Call centre staff are often on the end of horrible verbal abuse.

FireOverBabylon · 17/09/2012 16:21

They are just a person on the other end of the phone. They didn't invent the system, they just answer the phones. Swearing at them hasn't made them resolve your claim, it's just made both sides feel bad. YWBU.

TheLaineyWayIsEssex · 17/09/2012 16:23

You were a bit unreasonable to swear and hang up - not least because you haven't really got a resolution to the situation. As previous posters have said the person at the end of the phone was just doing their job and it is unlikely that they were being deliberately evasive
However, I feel for you and can see how the frustration of the delay would be upsetting for you.
Perhaps you could write down any questions you have regarding your referral and call them back - apologise for swearing/hanging up and see if you can get more information on why your claim is being delayed.

Moominsarescary · 17/09/2012 16:24

It took 6 months for them to sort ours out last year. By the time it was done our circumstances had changed.

You were rude to swear at the person. Although I can understand why you are so frustrated

As for "if you dont like it, don't claim" what a stupid thing to say

Groovee · 17/09/2012 16:26

Yes you were wrong to swear at someone who is only telling you what she saw on the screen.

At least your ex is paying towards things. We've only had CB for the last 9 weeks nowt from tax credits or any other benefit. It's very upsetting but that's life and we haven't been rude to people only doing their jobs.

MammaTJisWearingGold · 17/09/2012 16:26

Having just gone through 6 weeks without money because I changed my claim, I really understand your frustration!! I did not get to the point of swearing at them though. It really does not help. They are trying to help you within the rules and constraints, they are not deliberately unhelpful.

YWBU, but I do understand why!! Good luck, I hope it gets sorted soon.

amicissimma · 17/09/2012 16:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LydiasMiletus · 17/09/2012 16:27

Yabvu. You do realise its not their choice don't you. The person probably does appreciate your situation, doesn't mean they can change anything, even if the desperately want to.

I also hate the 'but they are probably used to it' point people make on these threads. Call centre staff shouldn't have to get used to.
People agree its unacceptable to abuse hospital staff, but if its a person on a phone its ok.
Its not ok. They are people, seems some forget that.
Would you say the same if they were face to face. I suspect not.

fluffygal · 17/09/2012 16:28

Yabu to swear at them. However, a couple of days ago I had a tax credits advisor hang up on me as he couldn't wait 30 seconds for me to run in the house and grab a postcode (can't get signal in my house)! He said he was too busy because I have time to wait 20 min again! I do find they are generally very rude and unhelpful even if you are polite to them. You can feel their judgement oozing down the phone line!

SwedishEdith · 17/09/2012 16:34

Many of work there probably claim tax credits themselves. YKYWBU

SwedishEdith · 17/09/2012 16:36

who not of!

Lovelygoldboots · 17/09/2012 16:36

I have always found the Tax Credit helpline to be pretty helpful, although a bugger to get through to anyone. They tell you quite clearly before you get through to anyone to have your information to hand. If you don't there is a million other people waiting on the line who have. I have always thought that the Tax credit system was one of general inherent fairness, (although not without its faults) has lifted many families out of poverty and will be decimated by this present government.

KenLeeeeeee · 17/09/2012 16:40

LydiasMiletus I didn't mean that they should be used to being sworn at, or that that somehow makes it less bad to do so. Merely an observation of the shitty treatment call centre staff get (I've worked in call centres before and it's utterly soul destroying at times). People are so quick to expect to have a phone call answered quickly by somebody with access to the information they want, but rarely take the time to appreciate the people who actually DO the job.

FuckityFuckFuck · 17/09/2012 16:42

Of course YWBU.

How much I loved being called a fucking bitch, a useless cow, a stupid slag etc etc because I didn't tell people what they wanted to hear. Wonder why I don't work there anymore Hmm

CleoSmackYa · 17/09/2012 16:42

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

KellyElly · 17/09/2012 16:44

Well you didn't say fuck off you fucking cunt, you just said you don't give a flying fuck so it could have been worse Grin. Everyone gets pissed off at times and you sound like you are under a lot of pressure. YWBU but nothing to lose sleep over. These things happen sometimes.

fluffygal · 17/09/2012 16:45

lovely I had it ready, but they were breaking up so went outside to get better signal, needed to pop back in to grab it he said no too busy and hung up! Next advisor I spoke to said he should have waited, I wasn't asking him to hang on for 5 minutes!

Llanbobl · 17/09/2012 16:46

Did you mean to be so rude? And yes, YABU. That person was only doing their job - did they remain polite, civil and business like etc during the conversation despite being abused?! There could be all number if reasons why your case has been referred on that can't be discussed with you, anomalies in the information you have provided now and previously or maybe someone else has claimed TC's and appears to have a right to them.

You have exhibited unacceptable customer behaviour by being abusive - carry on and there's a risk they won't deal with you by phone.

Next time - remember honey catches more flies than vinegar.

LydiasMiletus · 17/09/2012 16:47

Fined her for what?
Kenleee - did I misinterprete your first post? Seems that is what you were saying. 'yabu - but'
Apologies if that is the case.

Fakebook · 17/09/2012 16:47

you sort out your claim and no one else. treat them with respect and they'll help you quicker. I bet they've put a red mark against your name for the next person who deals with you, because that's a form of abuse. If they were cold callers, it would make sense to get angry at the person, but they were helping you.

Fakebook · 17/09/2012 16:48

Seems a part of my post is missing. Incase it's not clear, ywbu and rude, when you shouldn't have.

Lovelygoldboots · 17/09/2012 16:50

I understand fluffygal, it is frigging frustrating being stuck on the phone like that. They are not perfect thats for sure.

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