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Original poster

Tax credits - can't get through to renew! What will happen

75 replies

ChristianaTheSeventh · 31/07/2010 08:29

I thought I'd renewed ages ago but checked the paperwork and it was just put through as a change of circumstance.

I gleefully had I think thrown away the declaration because I thought I had done it and they would send me a confirmation.

I have been sent no reminders. But I have also tried calling them about 34235 times a day for the last week and can't get through.

Worried about what will happen, we're v poor as DH made redundant and need the money.

What to do? What will happen if I haven't done teh declaration and I don't get through today?!

OP posts:
MrsMorgan · 31/07/2010 20:26

Jaq - For 3 kids I get £144 a week now, but I am a lone parent, so I don't know if there is extra in there for that. HTH

Jaquelinehyde · 01/08/2010 00:30

Thanks MrsM -- So if they back date my claim to the date of the change (first week of June) which they should do but it is never that easy is it. It would make this week, week ten and I will be owed £1440

If they make me wait 3 further weeks I shall be owed £1872.

Now whilst this sounds great, a nice little lump sum to get I would have much rather had the money I was owed weekly for the last 9 weeks!

easymover · 01/08/2010 22:51

Afew years back i sent my forms back for the renewal rather than phoning.What i didn't know was they never recieved it,or at least that is what they said.The following pay day after the dead line my money just stopped.I didn't get a letter warning me it just stopped.I rang the straight away an explained i had sent the forms back but was told nothing they could do.I had to do a new claim and it took about 6 weeks.We were on JSA at the time so was getting less then £100 aweek with 4 DC.It was a nightmare.

GrumpyYoungFogey · 02/08/2010 15:08

I haven't been able to get through to report a minor change in circumstances, been trying since April!

We now have a rather bigger change in circumstances - how on earth is one meant to report it if the helpline number is already busy?

Its El Gordo's legacy, people on middling incomes having to spend vast amounts of time and energy to get some their heavy tax burden back.

The sooner these things are scrapped the better.

But in the meantime - how do you inform them if you have an additional child?

GrumpyYoungFogey · 02/08/2010 15:43

Just tried cheat's number and got straight through.

Thanks to whoever posted it.

lowrib · 02/08/2010 18:42

Sugar wish I'd seen the number before. It took DP 55 minutes to get through today.

lelanderson · 18/08/2010 10:47

Been trying to get through to them for 2 weeks with change of circumstances, tried pressing all the options and always got the "i'm sorry we are busy at the moment, please call back later" message. Just tried the 01355 (East Kilbride Tax Office) number and was talking to a human after 10 seconds!! Huge thanks to Christiana for posting this number!

susall · 19/08/2010 15:56

Wow thats a great number!!! 30 seconds max and I was talking to someone. Going to keep that one and pass on to anyone who needs it. Thank you to the lady that found it mwahhh!!!

Solo2 · 19/08/2010 19:31

Thank you thank you thank you Christiana SmileGrin!!!!!!!!

Just found this thread on MN having spent weeks trying to get through to the Tax Credit line who'd mislaid my forms, said I'd not sent them and said I owed thousands of pounds in overpayment from 7 yrs ago!!!!!!

Got through immediately to the other number just now and a v helpful human being sorted it all out straightaway!

I can't thank you enough, Christiana.....Massive cyberhug to you!

BeerTricksPotter · 19/08/2010 19:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

3andahalfmonkeys · 20/08/2010 16:48

i just got through straight away after trying for two days. thanks

Nichua0885 · 23/08/2010 09:48

The number works but the advisor told me that it is an overseas number and that once you ring in on it a note is attached to your account and the next time you use it you will be asked to ring back on the 0845 number. :)

asdx2 · 23/08/2010 09:56

Use this number instead

01355 359007

spinki1 · 24/08/2010 02:34

Does anyone have any advice for this? I rang up last year to tell tax credits we were using a childminder. The man said he had logged it and I would need to give them the registered childminder number. I didn't ring back with the number until I renewed my tax credits and they are saying that there is no record that I had a childminder and they cannot backdate it more than 3 months. We have missed out on a lot of money because of this but I can't prove that I let them know. They are saying that as I didn't give the registration number at the time that basically my phone call didn't count. Any advice would be much appreciated x

wonderif · 24/08/2010 14:57

can anyone advise when the tax credit stop your payments how long does it generally take them to start again, they said they didnt get my renewal form and funny enough it was the same last year , i posted it around 2 weeks prior to he renewal date and i havent received any money for the last 2 weeks.

its not a lot anyway but its something.

sometimes i think it would be less hassle, i have now got a letter saying that i have been overpaid and most pay it back, have been trying to get through yet again for the last 50 minutes.

Lotstodo · 25/08/2010 19:16

Brilliant - have been trying for two weeks to let them know of change of circumstances, know the 0845 number by rote and also the options I have to press and when and where to press and then just when I think I am getting to speak to somebody I hear 'I am sorry all our advisors are busy right now' after I have been listening to the menu for a few minutes - bit of a con! However, tried the number listed above for international callers and was all done and dusted within minutes - international callers must have priority. Why?

Lotkinsgonecurly · 25/08/2010 19:24

I've just called the number for international callers and the advisor said I had to call back on the 0845 number.

I've received another letter in the post today saying that I owe them money, and to call us.

Do they realise how many times I've called the 0845 number?

Lotstodo · 25/08/2010 19:52

I was lucky then - the adviser did ask me where I got the number from and I said the internet - didn't say MumsetGrin

kj2010 · 01/09/2010 19:57

thanks for the number after days of trying the 0845 one.....only to be told that we are 500 pound over the thresh hold, on our JOINT claim, for the exemption certificate and cant claim help for childcare because my husband works over 16 hours and i only work 12.5....helping people get back to work, i think not!!!!!!

sumum · 03/09/2010 11:09

Bumping this old thread incase anyone else still struggling to get through to ctc. I have been trying past two weeks on 0845 number but used this number and got through after a 15mins on hold. ctc now sorted. phew.

lowrib · 03/09/2010 11:22

Thanks again for this number! I;ve been trying to get through to WTC for a couple of weeks on the 0845 number, no joy. Rang this one and got straight through, magic!

YouKnowNothingoftheCrunch · 03/09/2010 11:24

After trying all week I used this number yesterday and got straight through. Thank you so much.

They didn't even say anything about me calling the wrong number.

melissa2010 · 08/09/2010 19:15

Thankyou so much for the number, i have been trying for a month only to be told to ring back another time! Didnt think it was ever going to get it sorted. Got through straight away on the number given above and now everything is sorted. Thankyou so so much.

queenie53 · 09/09/2010 20:09

I also thank you so, so, much for posting the international number, I have just got through straight away after trying the 0845 number from morning till night!I spoke to an advisor at the beginning of August as I had not received a renewal form and she asked me to call back with my total self employment profit. I couldn't get through after trying again and again, and as I was going on holiday, I sent my details by letter instead. What a waste of time! When I returned from my holiday, I found that my payments had been stopped from August 12th, and I had a letter telling me to phone them with the required details or I would have to repay all the payments I had received for 2009/10! I have been trying ever since to get through, just to hear the 'try another time' message. In desperation, and dangerously near my overdraft limit I googled 'cannot get through to tax credits helpline' and found this wonderful piece of advice. Although it is supposed to be the international number, the advisor was very understanding and has reinstated my payments, so if you are getting no joy, do give the number a try. Thank you again so much for the posting.

PurpleLostPrincess · 12/09/2010 17:12

I'm so so so glad to have found this thread - I just got through, yay!!!

Unfortunately, we don't qualify for help with childcare costs because neither of us work Sad. Will have to reduce the time DD2 is having with CM and playschool, but really gutted because she needs to be mixing with other children and having other forms of education... Sad

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