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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Tax credits keep removing my esa income

8 replies

IseeyouNameStealer · 22/06/2023 12:24

There’s no way of putting this into a simple AIBU sentence. Sorry if this sounds confusing.

For the time being we still get tax credits child care element as a family. I’m disabled and on support group ESA and PIP with a degenerative life limiting condition, my partner works full time and we’re both dyslexic, im dyscalculic so struggle with large amounts of repetitive text including numbers. Every year we diligently inform them of our individual incomes and every year a few months after we reapply they inexplicably remove my ESA income from their assessments without formally telling us and leave it for us to work it out in the many letters they send us in the aftermath that all look identical to a dyslexic. We get so many amendment letters, some that have my income included then suddenly without any communication from us it doesn’t. I keep and label all letters so I’m able to check when it last had income included and when it doesn’t.

When we do notice they’ve removed it we call them up, waiting hours to be answered and ask for them to put it right. This triggers another amendment, 2-4 more 6 page letters arrive, and the amount we get goes up or down by a few pounds. Then when it comes to renewal it happens again. We then remind them of my income from ESA (that hasn’t changed in years), they amend again, send multiple letters again and a few months later another letter comes out that has yet again removed my income meaning we have to do it all over again.

i guess the problem will stop when I die so my income becomes irrelevant but I don’t want my final months/years bloody fighting with HMRC every few months over this.

I know the tax credit system is designed to be as incomprehensible as possible but AIBU to think it isn’t fair to keep doing this to people who rely on tax credits?

OP posts:
IseeyouNameStealer · 22/06/2023 12:27

And before anyone questions why we claim childcare when I can’t work, it’s because I don’t want my young children burdened by caring and worrying for ms, they need some fun and it offers them what I can’t - trips to the park and playing with friends.

I’m sad I have to justify that but I know what MN can be like

OP posts:
Fightyouforthatpie · 22/06/2023 12:29

YANBU I am constantly amazed by how shit we can sometimes be at basic admin stuff in the UK - especially in relation to public services. There seems to be a lack of will to improve in places like DWP and HMRC too, an almost arrogant acceptance of crappy admin.

Nanna50 · 22/06/2023 12:30

They are bad at this sort of thing they often do it with carers allowance. Is all of your ESA contribution based or is it topped up with income based ESA? It is relevant.

Munches · 22/06/2023 12:32

Nanna50 · 22/06/2023 12:30

They are bad at this sort of thing they often do it with carers allowance. Is all of your ESA contribution based or is it topped up with income based ESA? It is relevant.

Out of curiosity.. is the support group for ESA means tested and how different from the other two?

IseeyouNameStealer · 22/06/2023 12:44

It’s contributions based, not income based or I’d get nothing.

OP posts:
SouthCountryGirl · 22/06/2023 12:49

Munches · 22/06/2023 12:32

Out of curiosity.. is the support group for ESA means tested and how different from the other two?

It depends whether you've paid NI. Mine is completely income based as I've not paid much NI.

There's only two groups - work related and support group. You can get contributions based ESA if you meet the criteria, indefinitely on support group and 1 year on work related group.

Nanna50 · 22/06/2023 12:52

OK then it’s just incompetence and YADNBU to be frustrated and pissed off. Unfortunately you can only do what you already are and check the award notice (or ask someone else to) that the ESA is there on the taxable income.

Tax credits is better than UC for disabled people do you get the disability elements too?

gamerchick · 22/06/2023 13:00

Aren't tax credits and ESA all changing to UC in the next year or so? It probably won't be an issue forever. Hang in there OP.

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