To think HMRC would inform us about changes to tax credits

[noisytoys]

I saw this morning from various sources (FB, a thread in money) that tax credits have been reduced for a lot of people with no notice. I checked my tax credits which went in today and lo and behold, £94 every 4 weeks reduction. There is no more I can cut. I can't afford to live now. I thought I would put this here for traffic because I fear millions of people will affected

[HousewifeFromHeaven]

messy link to your thread please?

[NameThatTuna]

The posts that I do not think are helpful are the ones that complain and encourage a person to feel like a victim.

Nope, don't see that anywhere on this thread.

[lougle]

"Nor do I think it is out of place to do so."

Actually, it is out of place. The title was 'HMRC should have informed us' not 'should we be claiming tax credits'

[Dahlen]

There are people out there who don't smoke, don't drink, don't go out ever, cook from scratch or a minimal budget (feeding a family of three on £120 per month, including household goods such as washing powder), don't buy new little luxuries (e.g. CDs or makeup) or clothes (instead getting clothes from charity shops or ebay). They don't have any savings or savings policies, all their insurances are essential (e.g. car, house), utilities are already on the most competitive tariffs. They are in the minimum sized, cheapest housing they could possibly get for their needs (in my case my mortgage was significantly less than what I would have paid for an equivalent rental property in the worst area in my locality).

I was one of those people. There simply wasn't any way to further cut my budget. I once thought perhaps it was me, so I got professional advice only to be told that they were amazed I hadn't got myself into debt because my income simply wasn't adequate.

Telling people they are just budgeting ineffectively is incredibly offensive and ivory towerish.

In my case it was crippling childcare costs that caused the problem. In other people's cases it will be mortgage/rent or commuting costs. It may be possible to reduce these, but only with significant outlay to set up (e.g. moving costs) - an outlay that most people simply cannot lay their hands on if things are already that tight.

[MooMooSkit]

Mine went up 10 pounds yesterday when I checked my bank :S No idea why, had no letters, nothing. Think I might call as I don't want them to overpay me or anything!

[Koyangwuti]

The telling information is never what is listed when a person explains how little they spend on X or Y. It is always in the details they leave out. It is about what a person actually is spending money on. If we want to go through the nitty gritty, then lets do it. State the total amount of money incoming, and the sources of it. Then people can point out other means of obtaining money with which you either may not be aware, or simply may not be interested in, as well as take the total money available and show how it can be budgeted effectively.

[lougle]

MooMoo, check your Tax Credits award that you received in June/July 2012. On the very last page, it will tell you your 'future payments' from April 2013. It should show the increase there.

[YouTheCat]

Koy, it is none of your business how someone else chooses to budget. Stop trying to derail the thread.

[lougle]

Or, Koyangwuti, people could mind their own business, stick to the subject, and if posters from this thread want that sort of advice, they can start threads in less volatile sections, where genuinely helpful people can offer sincere advice.

[MooMooSkit]

Thanks will have to try dig it out! Hope it's not a mistake!

[Dahlen]

Yes you're right Koyangwuti. In my case it was childcare. I'd have been able to save for a holiday each year if I wasn't paying childcare costs. I don't consider that 'inessential'.

I am not going to list my income and outgoings because it's time-consuming, tedious, and TBH I'm of the opinion that if you think you know better than a professional adviser you are not someone that it would be worth debating with.

[NameThatTuna]

Or, Koyangwuti, people could mind their own business, stick to the subject, and if posters from this thread want that sort of advice, they can start threads in less volatile sections, where genuinely helpful people can offer sincere advice.

this Koyang

[Dahlen]

Anyway back to the point, HMRC normally inform you of changes, but IME it is often after you've noticed a change in your payments.

[MrsPeeWee]

Koyanwuti.

Why ever you felt the need to write that little moral statement is beyond me. Great, you don't claim tax credits, good for you but I assure you, many people, including myself rely on them to get us through the week - and the fact that people are having them cut without notification is a huge strain.

Please, go and make your own thread if you want to preach about not morally accepting entitled benefits, because it certainly isn't helpful on this thread.

[Koyangwuti]

The thread was started with a post from someone concerned they did not have enough money because they did not see the same amount of tax credit previously. I have responded inside that field, i.e., being able to have enough money and the subject of tax credits. Okay, so you do not like what I think on the matter. So now you say it does not belong and is not valid. I see how this works. Nobody wants to hear it if it sounds hard. Fine, just whine and moan and see how that works for you. I'll leave you to that then. Enjoy.

[lougle]

We get as much in Tax Credits as we get from DH's wage. I'm not too proud to claim it.

[YouTheCat]

You have no idea how much the OP's mortgage/rent, bills or any other essential outgoings are. The OP did not ask whether she should claim or how to budget.

[lougle]

No, you didn't, Koyangwuti, you told the OP that you don't even claim them, despite being eligible, you feel it's immoral.

[elliejjtiny]

We've lost £40 a week, although we did get a letter and DH's salary has increased this year so it wasn't unexpected. We will be ok but when DS2's disabled premium gets reduced we will struggle.

[glossyflower]

Whilst I don't agree that it's acceptable for people to not be informed of changes to their benefits I do agree with what koya is saying.

I have never needed to claim any benefits, however I have struggled in the past couple of years with increases in utilities, food, transport costs so its not just people that claim that have suffered we just have to make the most of what we have got.

koya is not preaching just trying to explain we can empower ourselves.

[LaurieFairyCake]

If you've only 30 a week to feed all of you then something IS wrong - you are likely paying for something you don't need to or you're not claiming something you need.

The last time I saw a thread like this (where there were arguments) the OP was paying over 200 quid in previous credit card debt - and quite simply she couldn't afford it - unfortunately she thought she HAD to pay it. People on low incomes can not afford that debt and the worst thing that could happen is that a county court judgement would determine that you had to pay a fiver a month.

Or the family who were paying a massive amount of child support because the EX wouldn't let them see the child.

There is usually a reason and being trapped in debt can make you terrified and blinkered - it's a horrible place to be.

[Foxeym]

The only difference in circumstances for me is that my husband walked out last year but as I was the only earner it didn't make any difference financially but I went into my bank account this week and my tax credits have been dropped by £48 week??? I had no idea??

[lougle]

Very true, Laurie, and that's the sort of advice the OP and others on this thread may want to get at some point. It's not the same thing as being told that they are 'obviously not budgeting well'.

[lougle]

Foxyem, did you have a higher income last year than the previous year?

[PearlyWhites]

Koyangwuti : do you have any idea how self righteous your post was. If you choose not to claim tax credits that's fine but for many people tax credits are necessary to enable people to feed and clothe their children.
So have a on me.