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Original poster

How can they do this to us!!!!!

21 replies

magnolia1 · 09/02/2006 14:46

Hubby lost his job on 18th jan, £88 a week for us job seekers allowance but tax credits have just stopped all payments coz his p45 was above the estimated amount.

So now £88 for all 6 of us to live on. I cant believe this is happening to me and want to curl up and die

Jsa said nothing they can do and tax credits say the same. Cab say one of them has to but they wont

Cant cope with this right now

OP posts:
Original poster
magnolia1 · 09/02/2006 14:47

Meant to add, tax credits will be re awarded in April what the f*ck do we do till then???

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MamaG · 09/02/2006 14:50

What a horrible shock. I'd advise you to either go back to the CAB or go to a Solicitor with a Legal Aid franchise - you would get free legal advice and they can help with things like this, i.e. get to the bottom of who should help you out.

acnebride · 09/02/2006 14:50

can't think of anything to say magnolia. hope more helpful people here soon.
will CAB call tax credits for you?
if no results by phone try writing?
sorry not more help.

mummytosteven · 09/02/2006 15:55

no idea, sorry but bumping.

Loobie · 09/02/2006 16:05

i would contact the job centre again,tell then you and your family are coming to sit in there offices till something is done about your claim,there is no way this can be right,i get £218 a week for myself and 3 kids so £88 a week for a family of 6 is way out!!Go back to CAB too and see if they have someone who can come with you to the office to sort things out for you

nutcracker · 09/02/2006 16:18

That is awful I would definatly go back to CAB.

Lobbie - Comeplete hijack but can i be really nosey and ask if the £218 you get is for you as a lone parent with 3 kids ?? and if so does that inclide child benefit ?

MamaG · 09/02/2006 16:22

There must be other benefits you can get - housing benefit, council tax reduction etc.

Go back ot CAB!

Miaou · 09/02/2006 16:30

Magnolia exactly the same thing has happened to us - we have £88 per week to live on until April. We can't afford to pay any bills on that.

If you don't see me on here it means the electricity has been cut off.

I'm so sorry that it has happened to you too - sorry I have no advice for you though.

Original poster
magnolia1 · 09/02/2006 18:55

Ok, cab say ctc shouldnt be stopped and should be re assessed in April but of curse we will have then been overpaid

Have an appointment at inland revenue tomorrow for a hardship payment.

Also have 2 interviews for jobs.

The £88 is for a couple and child tax credits should up the money for the children but they wont look at it till April.

Our estimate for dh's earnings was £19,500 but because his p45 said £22,000 (thanks to overtime) they say we have now had our yearly entitlement so thats why its stopped.

We will get housing and council tax benefit but how does a family of live on £88 for food, gas and electric (on key meters), and anything else thats a nessesity??

OP posts:
Original poster
magnolia1 · 09/02/2006 18:56

Should say family of 6

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acnebride · 10/02/2006 12:36

i really apologise if this is inappropriate, or if they no longer exist, but would you therefore be eligible for free school meals, if any of your children are school age yet ?

misdee · 10/02/2006 12:40

yes to free school meals. saves me 7.50 per week. if IR have overpaid you for this year, then spread the overpayment over the next 12months.

ProfessorG · 10/02/2006 13:41

You must have child benefit as well? Can you use credit cards? Agree an overdraft? Get a job at Tesco? Take a holiday on mortgage payments? Do you have any insurance policies?

Loobie · 10/02/2006 15:19

Nutcracker ,yes thats what i get as single parent with 3 kids,though i beleive i get an extra £40 a week disabability premium for my son.
Benefits i get are child tax credit for the kids,including the said £40 disability premium,income support for myself,housing and council tax benefits,pay no rent and only £17 a month for 10 months CT,free school meals,scholl uniform grants,milk token for any children under age of 5,free dental and prescritions.Cant think of anything else but every little helps.If you have school age children and are now receiving JSA claim through school for a uniform grant for each of them,here we get £48 per child,even if they dont need uniforms it can go to something else at the moment.This can be applied for once a year.HTH

Original poster
magnolia1 · 10/02/2006 17:13

Have applied for free school meals, We will get housing benefit and council tax benefit.

Tasking a job at Tescos sounds great but for every penny I earn it will get taken from the housing benefit, council tax benefit and the Jsa will stop.

Come April it will all change but till then its just a mess. Applied for a crisis loan over the phone today they rang me for the interview at 3.30pm rang me back at 4.30pm to say yes we can give you a small payment to help you over the next few days but you have to get to the local office by 5pm or its cancelled

No car and 2 bus rides away it was impossible

So have to ring again on monday to 'Beg' for money. Feels awful.

I have a credit card but at the limit and no payment protection coz I wasnt working anyway.

Bank wont give overdraft, car paypant protection wont pay the car payments because dh had a break of 2 weeks between employment way back last year and he has to be in continuos employment for 12 months for the same company

So 4 years of paying £10 a month for nothing!!

OP posts:
Original poster
magnolia1 · 13/02/2006 09:20

Ok, I have made a serious Cock up!!!!!!

When dh lost his job I phone tax credits to tell them. Gave them the amount from his p45 and then they stopped the tax credits.......So.....

I have spent the past few days feeling like life is shit.

On Friday I was tidying and found his p45!!!!!

The one I looked at when he lost his job was last years one (£22,000)

The one I found is £14,349 (coz he has not worked a full year due to losing jon.

Still with me???

So it turns out tax credits owe us money!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just spoke to them and they paying £1500 into bank on wednesday

I can't believe i have cocked up so badly

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charliecat · 13/02/2006 09:23

Excellent

Freckle · 13/02/2006 09:27

That's a huge relief!

Re the JSA, is dh claiming income-based JSA or contribution-based JSA? If he has paid sufficient national insurance contributions, he should claim the latter as your income (should you get a job) is irrelevant.

kid · 13/02/2006 09:31

Thats really good to hear. I was just reading this from your first post and wondered what you were going to do.

They say we learn from our mistakes so I bet you will be extra careful when checking documents in the future.

Loobie · 13/02/2006 10:46

Oh magnolia thats brilliant to hear,bet your so glad to have it sorted,at least you know you'll all be able to eat and be warm for the next while at least

Original poster
magnolia1 · 13/02/2006 10:56

lol i know it feels such a relief

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