delay in child tax credit for over 16s

[molliec]

Should I be worried or very worried? dd is starting 6th form next week. I filled in the renewal form for tax credit and told them of her continuing education. I then received a letter saying I was entitled to £0 as she had reached 16. We phoned and informed them and got a virtual repeat of the letter. Second phone call resulted in someone saying that it couldnt be sorted until the 1st Sept. I have heard nothing. It is a lot of money to us at moment. Has anyone else had this problem.

Yes, exactly the same but I cant get to speak to a human. I go round and round in circles, pressing buttons listening to recorded messages and even being cut off at great expense.

My son is 17 today - 1st day of academic term. Sent renewal form back. Received letter back but not in answer to renewal, to say tax credits only payable to August. Heard nothing more, although I wrote to say he was continuing in education for two years. I will try again tomorrow but I'm worried too.

I am going to start phoning again tomorrow and try the number that has been on other tax credit threads. 01355359007. People on this site say it works. Shall we give it a go?

Nothing to lose I suppose. I delayed it because I was hoping to have heard about my renewal by now. I posted it late June / early July. So infuriating isn't it. I didnt tell them my son was leaving education because he isn't. So they assume he is? That's very naughty isn't it. Absolute pita to get back now. I have no idea what's happening and we've lost the EMA allowance for money towards travel for college now. CRAP isnt it

Update - Yes I got through first ring.

However - very rude operator. Told me it was a priority number for certain people who were priority. I did ask who was a priority as I'd not heard from them regarding my renewal and I was worried - no reply.

Anyway they make you answer more security questions that aren't relevant like who is your mobile provider - ask you what film you first saw and where was your first holiday. If you ever ring the normal number again in future and dont answer these questions correctly you will NEVER get help again.

From what I can make out I shall be hearing from them regarding September money onwards. Payments will still be made but they havent completed their paperwork.

I didn't know that a child staying on in education is a change in circumstances. I thought a child leaving would be a change in circumstances. I did write and tell them the facts when I realised this error and that is why they're still working on paperwork???

I was told never to ring that number again. She helped me this time but said she would not in future.

Child tax credits do this every year.For some reason there 'system' doesn't let them 'up date' your claim for a child staying in full time education,untill after 1st sept.Even if you have all ready told them.
Has long as you still recieve Child Benefit for you 16 year old,you should still get Child Tax.
When my DD turned 16,my child tax was correct the following payment,and i recieved the missing payment.
Hopefully it will be the same for you both.
HTH

it is a shame that EMA has been scrapped but that is another discussion entirely.

EMA has been scrapped but if you child claimed it last year and recieved £30 aweek,they still get it this year but only £20.
If they are starting college this year,they can claim for help from the college.If they would have been entitled to the full EMA, they should get about £20 from the college instead.

Won't get a penny from the college. Eligibility is limited to those on income support, asylum seekers, care leavers.

There is a bursary whereby you are judged in relation to others applying and the neediest get it. It's a limited fund and at the most provides meals.

Targeted help? Nonsense. Just a cutback. Family with income of £13K do not qualify for a penny piece of help because they have a parent in work. Absolute joke.

happyinherts EMA was the same.You only got the full amount if your parents were on income support or JSA.
I agree it is a cutback but some people don't realise there is still some help.If they don't know they won't apply for it,and in most cases they aren't told about it by the colleges.

EMA wasn't. It was for all poor children with incomes under £20K on a sliding scale, whether you were in work or out of work.

This new scheme ignores the working poor.

Lots of people struggling with tax credit. We tried the other number and were told by very offensive woman that this was a priority line for overseas and then she hung up. I am going to try and find out about this priority for some issue as I dont think it is fair. Is it public knowledge? Maybe it should be.

Just spoke to someone today regarding my childtax credits for 6th former and was told they would look at it after 1st september but there was not a time scale for it to be sorted but we would get it all back eventually I am worried sick we will loose over £40 per week and at the moment that will cripple us :(

fedupdownhere - have your payments stopped? Mine were okay as to august and I was led to believe by rude lady on the priority number that September onwards would be the same, only they hadn't got round to sending out the actual statements in the post.

I still havent been able to get through to a human being on the normal number. I've lost £30 EMA, I've lost 5 hours work per week on a 20 hour job and I've had a pay cut per hour. Somehow these cuts seem to be impacting badly on the poorer, don't they?

yeh the last payment was the 31st of august guy i spoke to said that the next payment was for the lower amount and that they dont know when it will be sorted we just have to wait :(

Hubby just had pay cut this year so we are already struggling on less money this is going to be hard they really dont seem to care either

fedup last year when DD2 was starting college,they did the same with me Child Tax.The first payment in Sept was for less amount.Then the next payment was for the right amount plus the missing payment.I didn't recieve a letter.
They did the same when DD1 started college in 2007.When i spoke to somebodt from CT they said it was the same each year.The system can't be updated untill sept.
Fingers crossed it will be the same for you.
Why they can't just explain this when yoy phone them i really don't know.

The letter DD recieved from EMA states, Other students facing genuine financial difficulties may be awarded a bursary at the discretion of their school, college or training provider.
It worth speaking to somebody at the college.

But loveme2 you still have to qualify (meet the criteria) for a bursary. You could have extreme financial difficulties but not fulfill these. That is my gripe.

The letter states :
Students between 16 and 19 years in full time education or training may receive a bursary.

Students most in need will be eligible to receive a bursary of £1,200 a year. This group includes:

?people in care
?care leavers
?people claiming income support
?disabled young people that receive Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance
Other students facing genuine financial difficulties may be awarded a bursary at the discretion of their school, college or training provider.

Unlike the EMA, schools, colleges and training providers will be responsible for awarding bursaries to students. With the exception of the £1,200 bursaries for students most in need, they decide on the amount. They will also decide when bursaries are paid, and will set conditions that students should meet to receive a bursary, for example, linked to behaviour or attendance.

I take this to mean anybody can apply for help.
At DD college you can apply for help if household income is under £30k.
Each student can receive up to £800 towards the costs of:

Equipment/books/uniform ? up to a maximum of £350 per student per year
Student visits ? up to a maximum of £500 per year
Meal Vouchers ? up to a maximum of £3 per day
Free Transport ? either a place on our Express Bus Service or a bus pass

Assistance is based on household income

100% award where income is less than £16, 190
75% award where income is between £16,190 - £20, 050
50% award where income is between £20,051 - £25,050
25% award where income is £25,051 - £30,810

I know it not as good as the EMA but i was just trying to make sure people knew that there is some help.I know not everybody will get help, but hopefully most student that would have been entitled to EMA will get something.

Wow, that letter is very self-explanatory.

I only have guidelines to go on printed in college prospectus and it's nowhere near as generous as that. You're right, it does imply that anyone can apply for help with incomes under £16K.

I'm going to send son to student services tomorrow armed with our tax credit notice entitlement and see if anything comes of it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained I suppose. I didn't realise it seems to vary from authority to authority like that.

Your college does seem very fair and generous. Thanks for sharing this.

lesser amount arrived in my account today as expected hopefully next week will be correct amount