wrong date on Tax Credits form - how will this affect payments?

[SugarSkyHigh]

does anyone know whether this is a serious error? When I renewed, I told them what my childcare costs will be from September (next month) as they will be increasing then.

It now looks like they have backdated this from LAST September (2010) and my payments are being adjusted accordingly. Basically, payments are going down a bit and then up again in January. doesn/t seem to make sense.

If I tell them they've made a mistake will I end up having to pay more back, because my childcare costs have not actually increased yet? Why did the payments go down a bit in the first place? can anyone throw any light on this for me please, before I call them. I get a bit confuddled talking to them on the phone!! TIA

They make endless mistakes. Renowned for it.
Call back to correct. Make notes of dates times and names of who you spoke to.
Just be polite as whoever you get this time isn't to blame. Put phone down and curse them like hell !
Childcare costs are averaged out over the year. So work out exactly how much in total your bill is for the tax year and divide by 52.
Do correct them though as under paid is better than over.
They sTopped the baby element this year I think so that adjusts the payment or once child is over one it goes down a bit too so if this is your circumstances it might be why it changed.

thanks for your reply, MayDay.... I've been on holiday so only just got back to look at MN. I will call them back. It just seems strange that because I was late telling them about childcare costs that I have to pay them back! Thank you

I always write to tax credits office tne they have it in B & W. I have written telling them my Childcare will be Zero from Spet cos DS4 starts school. Waiting to hear back but They always get in wrong over phone, seems to do a better job if you write IME