Child and working tax credit...please help :(

[iliketosleep]

DH started work a couple of months ago and HMR&C wanted us to start a completely new claim. They sent us the forms which I filled in and sent straight back. They recieved them on the 13th September.

For the last 4 weeks they have said that my sons details on their system aren't matching the details on Child benefit system. I have phoned child benfit and confirmed them all, they are right, I've also confirmed them all with them over and over again, everytime they are right. They keep saying that:

They are going to send a form out and we need to send DS's birth certificate.

They will send a form when they require it

They are going to send a form out

They have sent a form out

They haven't sent a form out

They are going to send a form oout

They aren't going to send a form out

and to just wait.......

We are waiting!!!

I don't know what to do now, they don't seem to be very concerned, we have spoken to managers that tell us what we want to hear but the next day nothings changed.

We are living on £190 a week, we have had to lend £500 for last months rent and this months is very nearly due as well as car tax (without that DH can't get to work), £120 council tax bill due in 2 weeks, you get the jist, we are well and truely in the shit.

I just don't know what to do next?!! I find myself crying all the time as I don't feel I can handle it all, I want to run away.....or worse......:(

Does anyone have any advice on what we can do to try and speed it all up?

TIA

That sounds like a complete runaround... totally incompetent. What you need is something/someone up the chain... supervisors, managers... to knock a few heads together and get it resolved. Can you demand to speak to someone more senior at HMRC? Maybe, at the same time, on their website there is an address to send a strongly worded complaint to? Demanding financial compensation sometimes gets people's attention. In the meantime, keep calling and often - make a total nuisance of yourself - and keep a log of times and names... include these in your letter of complaint.

And to get you out of the current financial hole you should probably contact your local DSS office. They (or CAB) might even be able to put some pressure on HMRC for you. I'm sure someone else will have better ideas but that's the best I can come up at the moment.

Thankyou, I ended up having a very strong word to the extent that I got that angry I burst into tears! They have magically sent it up to be processed and no further information is needed now, so waiting for payment calculation. Why it had to take that though I don't know :(

Getting angry works as well :) You have to avoid anger spilling into abuse or incoherence, of course, but 'assertive' is definitely a good skill to develop. After years of being messed about by various organisaations I'm afraid I tend to into letter-writing and demanding-to-speak-to-superior mode very quickly these days.

Takes guts to do what you did. Well done!!!

Should add.... Don't call it quits until that money lands in your account. Telephone again if it takes longer than a day or two. Then write that letter of complaint anyway. Name names and stipulate times if you have them and point out how distressed and angry the whole thing made you. They need to know when they've done a rotten job, you deserve an apology and there's always a chance that you could get some financial compensation on top.

Write to your MP and ask her to try to sort it out for you.