to feel stunned, foolish and a bit angry.....

[SoleSource]

becuase until today i had no idea i was entitled to child tax credits each week since the birth of my severly disabled child in 1998. Therefore have not claimed it until today.

All those years of being skint and going without. That money could have really helped us :(

Please find out if you are entitled, tomorrow!

This money is a completley separate claim to Income Support, DLA, Carers Allowance and Child Benefit,

Do you mean you never knew child tax credits existed? Or did you think your child wasnt eligible? The first I find quite unbelievable, it is talked about everywhere, mentioned in every budget. If its the 2nd, its a shame you had to go so long without realising :(

I find it hard to believe you have missed this - it is mentioned on DLA forms and carers allowance info.
I'm assuming you claim DLA? The child tax credit disabillity element varies depending on what rate DLA you get

How unkind to criticise SoleSource for not knowing . Our tax/benefits system is extremely complicated and confusing - I had 3 different answers from HMRC to a query about Child Benefits.

DH (very financially aware and smart IMO) and I had both missed the news about it and were shocked to get a letter. When DH googled it, we found it was in the 2011 budget when we were somewhat preoccupied with my treatment for stage III cancer.

I second approaching you MP and also contacting the 'MoneyBox' programme on Radio 4 and/or 'You and Yours' on Radio 4 - worth a try.

This happened to a single father friend of mine. He was getting IS, HB & CB. It's only when we were about how much he was struggling and had a look at his finances together that I realised he wasn't getting it.

In his case, they back dated it three months, so he got a nice little lump sum which helped considerably.

If there's anyway you can show that you were given duff advice & that's why you didn't claim it, then there's a chance of claiming quite a lot back. This is quite unlikely I have to say - but it's not impossible so have a real think about it.

A carers allowance advisor told me I was not entitled years ago. Also I have had seceral benefit checks at tge jobcentre abd not once nentioned to me.

I just do not get it

Well, it's worth a try - although don't pin any hopes on it.

When you fill out the forms you have the option of explaining why you think you might be entitled to have your claim backdated further than a month. You could stress that the advisor specifically told you that you weren't entitled.

That no one mentioned it won't be enough.

Try - they can only say no. But like I say, it's unlikely so don't bank on it.

Our social worker from the disability service knows every single aspect of our benefit claims. Not mentioned by her either.

Im thinking maybe I am not entitled and the child tax advisor on the phone yesterday is wrong in telling me we are entitled.

Sole - You ARE entitled. if you claim working tax, there's no doubt you should get it, I certainly do and DH is self-employed. Even when I was the one working and he was a SAHD, we got both and have done whether on benefits or working tax since 2002.

I'm appalled that nobody told you before now

Run your circumstances through this. I would imagine you are entitled.

Well I'd suggest that if you have had several benefit checks and your social worker has been heavily involved in your benefit claims, that you ought to take them to court, in much the same way they would if they'd been misled by you. It seems outrageous that every single person involved has got it so very wrong.

I'm very grateful that my local job centre told me from the start exactly what I could claim, this being backed up on every single occasion that I have had cause to telephone them.

OP, how much difference do you think it would have made to your weekly budget?

Tax credits didn't exist until 2003 so you won't have been entitled since 1998.

Are all parents of disabled children entitled to this? We have a little boy with cerebral palsy. I work part time and my husband works full time. We do not claims any benefits except DLA which goes into our sons account.

I'm sure it's based on how much you earn. You would need to ring up & ask.

Child tax credit is paid to all parents with children earning around £25k or under. I think there is a disability premium too.

Sorry you have been missing out on money Sole, but am wondering what planet you have been living on all these years. There is adverts on the telly and the radio for weeks before renewal time. There has also been numerous threads on here too, people complaining about tax credits etc.

Do you not read the tax credits and benefits threads on here?!

Sole has already said she was told she wasn't entitled.

Good luck with your claim. I got it when on income support, when working part time and then full time as a single parent. When working part tjme, WTC and CTC topped up my salary to a much more manageable level. i wouldnt have been able to go back to uni etc without it. Check the entitled to website.

Sorry for spelling mistakes, on phone!

If your son is on middle or higher rate DLA you get extra child tax credits too. Tell HMRC to apply a disablement premium. IIRC it is about fifty pounds p.w for middle and seventy for higher. Lots of people don't know this.