To wonder how HMRC seem to have lost all details of my 13 year old?

[MadameDefarge]

Apparently they have NO record of him existing so my tax credits are under scrutiny.

Fine and dandy, except he is now 13 and I have been claiming for him for day dot.

Hm. I now have to prove he exists, he goes to school, and he is living with me.

Do I need this? No.

Vent over.

DHs xW had this recently with their DD. He had to send a letter to say when they split and who she'd lived with all this time. I'm guessing it all got resolved in the end as we haven't heard anything more about it.

They have suddenly changed dss's name and date of birth as well. We have to prove this new person does not exist, is not about to leave school and isn't old enough for the NI number which they have sent him. And you know they'll make it overly complicated when we write to them... Sigh.

I'm sure it will be fine, but exp and me have been apart for ten years already!

grrh! Totally get the living with etc, but NOT the 'who is this random child on your claim?

I've been claiming CB and all other benefits eligible for since he was born!

I feel like sending them a pic of his bedroom and then asking if they wonder if I really have a 13 year old boy, and that he is living with me.

Though quite possibly I have scooped up a random adolescent and used him for nefarious benefit cheating purposes.

Somehow my dad and my brother who both have the same initials and address but funnily enough completely different dates of birth got issued with the same 'unique' NI number - that was a true nightmare to sort out once they finally realised when my brother was in his mid 20's.
So I can imagine them claiming somebody doesn't exist I'm afraid.
They did finally get it sorted but it was a complete hassle to untangle.
To be fair though HMRC sorted out my tax rebate this year despite me not having all the paperwork ( company went bust & left me without correct stuff) really quickly and the lady who dealt with it was lovely and sympathetic.

Good news wonky!

Actually, just phoned them and a lovely lad said no probs, don't worry about it. No need to send anything, and did my renewal at the same time, so rather loving them atm!

Wow that's weird

do you have last years claim form? take it in if you do as proof you're not lying

ive had this they thought i had twin boys with the same first name?? they really thought i did that i rang them up they said i hadn't registered the birth of my children they cant sort out ctc till i do i said yes i have he was a day old when i did it where is my claim they mentioned again children (plural) i spotted it and laughed i shouldn't have really because it was my only income at the time and we were getting cold and hungry but the thought that someone would call their twin children sam x and sam y (not real names) was laughable i then got my award they paid me too much and asked me for it back! i actually said no if you cant sort out a claim in four months and GET IT RIGHT you should be sacked for incompetence (i had to pay it back

i also hate the way they stop claims for your other children when you add one on because they clearly dont need feeding clothing gas................(i saved up when i had number three i knew what was coming) its a bog standard rate you could get £40 for number one and £30 for two three etc but nooooooo they have to think about it for months i admit if you're working a lot its different but if you're working you have money coming in dont you!

buggers ive a million stories of incompetence just dont get me started

He said it is because my CB claim is dead. (another epic drama soon to be started)

too blinking joined up for me, in all the wrong ways!

Can't even begin to imagine the hideousness of Universal Credit when it comes in. In principle I think its a good idea. In practice, you just know its going to be a total epic fuck up. Bit like the CSA.

I did see a report a few years ago where someone kept adding random children, then disabilities to these children to her claim! They did not exist, but it was not realised for some years!

Ooo, that's a good idea.

I have no clue how she got away with it for as long as she did.

I can't find the more detailed article that I read at the time, but here is a brief one.

Here

Blimey! I am clearly a rank amateur when it comes to benefit cheating...

Well that was easy! I think DHs X had something about proving child existed also, as I remember saying, just send in her birth certificate! But I guess that would have been too easy.