A letter from concentrix or HMRC part 7

[Morgan97]

If you have received a letter from Concentrix or HMRC and need advice or want to share your experience please join us. This is now part 7, the support on here is amazing.

Shells30 defo hun... Enjoy as many holidays as you can and don't worry about a thing until next year or whenever we get investigated again.

Hi Shells, no still nothing for me as yet!

Ladies, can I ask a question? I had a letter from Concentrix at the beginning of the year, but it was in relation to me being self employed. I was incredibly annoyed as it was almost asking me to prove a negative, it felt like I was being accused. Anyway, after sending in piles of evidence and waiting for what seemed like forever, a letter came back telling me my tax credit claim would continue and that they were satisfied I was self employed.

I'm a single parent, living with my Mum, sister & my daughter. Because no bills are in my name I live in fear of another Concentrix letter asking me to prove i'm single. I may never get one, but incase I do, what evidence do they ask for? How can I prove I live with my Mum? My car, Next account, Vodafone account etc are all in Mum's address. Plus i'm on the electoral roll etc, but no bills are in my name. I pay my Mum rent but it's in cash. With my last letter they wanted a year's worth of bank statements, appointment diaries, a breakdown of hours worked, as well as payslips. It was so draining.

For DD's school I use my ex's address as he has her half the week (he lives close to the school, I don't) plus i've never de-registered from our old Dr's and don't plan to. The care is exceptional and they always see my DD within an hour of me ringing. As far as my Dr knows I still live in ex's house. Will this matter if I get a letter?

Pumpkin spice I still live with my mum so I put it in writing, I pay cash but now I have changed so it's direct debit saying rent. I put it on a cover letter saying Im not on the water bill, electricity etc and they were ok with it

Croy Thank you. You live with your Mum, so how on earth has it flagged up you are living with a man? Unless that man's your Dad/Stepdad? I will start paying my Mum rent via bank transfer if she'll let me. What evidence did they ask you for?

I don't think they can access medical records can they? I really don't want to change Dr. I was with my Mum's local GP's as a teen & something serious was dismissed and I ended up with septicaemia, severely ill. The GP i'm with now is bloody brilliant, but if I told them I lived in another area i'd have to leave their books, as would my DD.

Mine was about earnings but first they said I was living with a man which could of been my brother lol
It was cleared up after almost 15 weeks of no money but I'm keeping everything just incase. I even get bank statements now

PumpkinSpice it's exactly as Croy says,if you create a paper trail it's your proof and they do accept official paper trails as they call it. I don't think they're allowed to access your medical records so stay with the doctor you're with. More importantly keep everything you've sent them ( and they've returned) in a safe place including any letters they've sent you so you'll be ready in case this happens again.

Very kind, thanks for your help guys. Disgusting how much fear they are instilling in innocent people.

Pumpkinspice - just in case you do get this question HMRC have a decision making guide on joint/single claims. Goodle section TCTM09380 joint/single claims prohibited relationships.

Here is a quote which means they CANNOT treat you as a joint claimant with your mother:

"Where it is established that a claimant is living with a relative who appears on the list of prohibited relationships they cannot be regarded as living together as husband and wife (LTAHAW) or civil partners (LTACP). This is because they cannot marry or form civil partnerships in law so they cannot be said to be LTAHAW or LTACP. The claimant will therefore be treated as a single claimant."

It does say you would need to establish that you are living with a relative so have birth certificate copy ready to show the link between you as mother/daughter and possibly electoral roll/council tax details. Your bank account would show that you live in the house. Also I have seen on other forums that you can ask your parent to write and confirm the living arrangements.

I would certainly quote the section above when sending anything back to them to make it clear that they cannot decide that you are a joint claim because you are sharing a household with your mother and sister.

Can you not have any bills put in your name in case you need evidence for the future pumpkin? Even just the water or something? Your mum could keep most of them in hers. And is there any way you could pay your rent by direct debit instead of cash? Also presumably you're listed on the council tax?

Hey Ladies!

I am so glad I have found this page - I have nearly been tearing my hair out over this concentrix thing!

I got a letter at the beginning of the year stating they needed to check my childcare details - it was a negative letter but I have had problems with the childcare entitlement in the past (I rang and updated they got it wrong - blamed me etc) so thought it was because of that. I sent off everything they needed and then received a letter in May/June time returning my documents and said they would be back in touch within 10 days if they needed any further information. This was the last I ever heard from them so assumed all was sorted.

In September my daughter started school so I rang Tax Credits to update them as she now would only be attending an after school club and holiday club. I was then told "Concentrix have put a block on your account so we are unable to update anything until they remove it! We are unable to do this for you so you must ring Concentrix ask them to remove it and then we can update"

I have tried calling Concentrix a couple of times now and have had to hang up after holiding for an hour+ - I have neither the time or the money for the phone bill to keep on holding for them!

I am not worrying why there is a block on it and what is going to happen in regards to the childcare not being updated but I am at a loss at what to do!!

Does anyone have any advice and/or an email address I can contact them on???

Thank you in advance - any help will be very much appreciated!

Keri xx

Hey Ladies!

I am so glad I have found this page - I have nearly been tearing my hair out over this concentrix thing!

I got a letter at the beginning of the year stating they needed to check my childcare details - it was a negative letter but I have had problems with the childcare entitlement in the past (I rang and updated they got it wrong - blamed me etc) so thought it was because of that. I sent off everything they needed and then received a letter in May/June time returning my documents and said they would be back in touch within 10 days if they needed any further information. This was the last I ever heard from them so assumed all was sorted.

In September my daughter started school so I rang Tax Credits to update them as she now would only be attending an after school club and holiday club. I was then told "Concentrix have put a block on your account so we are unable to update anything until they remove it! We are unable to do this for you so you must ring Concentrix ask them to remove it and then we can update"

I have tried calling Concentrix a couple of times now and have had to hang up after holiding for an hour+ - I have neither the time or the money for the phone bill to keep on holding for them!

I am not worrying why there is a block on it and what is going to happen in regards to the childcare not being updated but I am at a loss at what to do!!

Does anyone have any advice and/or an email address I can contact them on???

Thank you in advance - any help will be very much appreciated!

Keri xx

There is no email address. If you can't get through on phone then it's best to write. But make sure you send signed for and keep the receipt so you have proof. One of the people at Concentrix told me that. They are obviously investigating you and if they come down on the wrong decision they will stop your Tax Credits so it's mighty important you do get touch with them to find out what is going on. Good luck!

Also, thinking about it. I would also inform them by letter - both Concentrix and Tax Credits - about the childcare changes. And keep the proof of posting. Just to avoid them saying later down the line you didn't inform them obviously.

Kezza0804 wow how come it's taken them that long, my only took 8 weeks. Once you receive your documents back. Than they will send you either a letter to say thank you for documents we have decided not to amend your tax credits for 2014/15. If you still haven't got this letter than your investigation is still not over. You have to up date everything through concentrix not tax credits.

hi I received a letter 5 weeks ago from concentrix..I had to send my documents in as they though I was staying with a women a previous tennent of my house..I received my documents back three weeks ago with a letter to say I shall hear back from them shortly but still nothing..ive had no money for five weeks now and its hard for me and my kids..does anyone know how long this usual take to sort out.

You need to keep chasing them maz. As far as I know they only stop your payments if you don't send docs in on time. If you have proof of posting that you sent before the date required in the letter you should get the payments re-instated.

Hey guys finally got my letter staying overturn! Ive had jo payments for 6 weeks... Hmrc could take 2 weeks now to reinstate payments and apparently I wont recieve a lp sum for loss of payments which i was clearly entitled to! Anyone else had this situation x

They paid me everything in one lump sum, for 14 weeks. Don't know what u mean by overturn but hopefully ur get it all in one go

Hi everyone, just to let you all know I still haven't heard back from my mandatory reconsideration which I sent 3weeks & 1day ago. I'm now 17weeks with no Tax Credits & this is the 4th month in a row where I can't reach my rent payment on time. (It's due Thursday) it's now making me very unwell as can't afford to eat still. Can't even phone them as my phones been disconnected due to being unpaid for 2months.

A1B2 I feel so sorry for u, I sent a complaint to hmrc about it taking so long and they paid me £70, it took about 4 weeks tho.
Can't believe it's taken so long, this must be a record. They are useless.
Hope ur landlord is being understanding

Hi ladies,

I also received the concentrix letter (7th September). I have had no payments of child tax since the 14th September. I sent all the documents they asked for straight away to prove I am living on my own, my ex is living with his mum & did the whole time we dated, which they recieved on the 21st September & sent them straight back to me. I've had no child tax for my son for 5 weeks now. I have phoned last week to ask what was happening & the man I spoke to was not very helpful.

This is putting me into debt, I'm behind on my rent & tv license etc. My main concern is that I'm due my baby (to the ex) on Friday 16th (in 3 days) & I'm concerned that if they take much longer to get back to me about their decision I won't be able to afford to feed the baby or buy the much needed nappies. Babies are very expensive as we all know. Babies father isn't interested & has informed me he will not help provide for her.

The man who I spoke to from concentric said to phone up & inform them once the baby is born to add her to my claim but wasn't clear on whether I would receive hers til after they have finished investigating me.

This is causing me great stress & financial problems. I've had to go to food banks every week to be able to feed my son but they do not help with nappies or anything like that.

Any advice or help would be amazing as I am starting to worry that concentrix will say I'm not entitled to my child tax which I know I am & that I'll have to pay back all the payments since April 2014.

Thanks for reading xx

Hi I don't understand - I didn't think they could just cut off your payments unless you didn't return their documents? Have you tried calling again to try and get through to someone again? You might be lucky and get someone more helpful. Was anything registered at your address (bills ?) in your ex partners name? I think online there are some links to what HMRC and concentrix look at to consider whether it should be a joint and single claim. It may not necessarily be just where he lived. He could have been supporting you financially for example. The only thing I could suggest is going to the CAB for some advice. I am so sorry you have to go through all of this especially with a baby due. My case has been closed according to HMRC but still not had any letters from Concentrix.

Hi binx,

I renewed over the phone in June, hmrc said everything was fine then I got that letter & they say I have to go through concentrix. As far as I know there is nothing in his name & never has been. All bills are in my name which I sent to them weeks ago to prove it. I've lived on my own since 2012 & never had this problem before as I pay all my own bills. My ex has never paid anything financially as he lives with his mum so the bills were never his problem to pay. I have been to cab & all they could offer me was the food banks & to phone concentrix on my behalf which they did & cab managed to tell me what was needed to be sent to concentrix to start the mandatory reconsideration.

I am at a complete loss at what else I can do atm to prove that I am not with my ex anymore & haven't been since March this year. The only contact I've had with him since the split was to tell him I was pregnant to which he couldn't care less about. I'm currently trying to remain calm & keep going but with no family near to me to help with money it's getting to be a real struggle for me to cope with everything.

I am hoping to phone them first thing in the morning & hopefully get through to someone who can tell me what is happening with my case. X

Croy I definitely believe I hold the record! 17 long weeks! No he's not really being understanding, he gives me a couple of extra days for when I get paid to pay the rent balance but texts to say if it's not paid in full I will be served a section 21 the following day. It's leaving me no money to live on hardly, I haven't been paying my bills, I have a couple of bailiff letters, I'm scared to open the curtains everyday as I'm waiting for them to knock the door, I'm in a mess.