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Original poster

Tax credits renewal

76 replies

NGC2017 · 09/05/2019 17:00

Hi.

Its that time of year I dread as I'm always filled with worry that somehow I have been overpaid and need to pay money back. I am always very on the ball with updates yet somehow always seem to be overpaid.

Anyway I noticed on monday my award has gone down by £100 a month. Which is frustrating as I'm sure it comes down to my pension contributions remaining unknown, something I can only declare on the declaration.

I contacted tax credits today and was told my renewal pack was posted on 4th May but to expect to wait 2 weeks for it. Seems really long? Sorry for the silly question but has anyone waited quite a long time for their renewal to come through?

I am keen to get things sorted as I can't afford any losses. And I'm not going to lie it's frustrating when all this could have been avoided by being allowed to submit payslips and pension statements to prove the payments have been made. I have many conversations with them last year about to but they didn't seem to care

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

TIA x

OP posts:
dirtystinkyrats · 09/05/2019 17:09

Yes we had a few years where they argued about DH's income every year because he puts money into a private pension as his company didn't offer a workplace pension. Very frustrating they don't just have space on the form to detail everything and then the ability to send proof. Although DH has just sent proof etc with the renewal the last 2 years I think and that seems to have speeded things up a bit. One year they just with held 6 months with of money for no reason. Sometimes it feels like they make it up as they go along. I think in reality as its been being phased out for years no one is interested in sorting out the mess.

Original poster
NGC2017 · 09/05/2019 17:24

I may try and send in proof then when my renewal comes. It's the withholding thing that bothers me as we will struggle until everything goes through. I sometimes wonder why I am so on the ball with updates as it's NEVER done me any favours

OP posts:
lovelydayyyyyyy · 09/05/2019 17:25

Yes, apparently mine was sent out last week and still not received it. Only a couple of pound difference in mine though but still worries me.

Original poster
NGC2017 · 09/05/2019 17:36

Mine have gone down 100 which is extremely hard when the household income is already very strained due to paying off the exs debts.
I've run it through the calculator and basically before pension payments and after pension payments, that's the difference so I can only assume that's why they've dropped.

So realistically it looks like I could be waiting until next week for it to come.
I also read somewhere that I can then be waiting for another 4 months whilst they verify with the pension provider l, yet I can provide all the proof they require via my payslips and pension statements

OP posts:
SnapesGreasyHair · 09/05/2019 21:42

I haven't received my pack yet and my payments have reduced by £130 / mth.

Original poster
NGC2017 · 09/05/2019 22:36

I do hate the way they just reduce it without notice. After living on a certain income for a year its hard all over a sudden to have it drop so much

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 09/05/2019 22:59

People are very anti Universal credit ( for reasons I totally understand) but it is better for avoiding overpayments as it's more real time based, worked out on monthly earnings rather than over the year.

Original poster
NGC2017 · 10/05/2019 05:36

I actually see that as a positive for UC. Its just my salary hasn't changed at all in over 2 years so really my tax credits award should be what it is. Any changes I have made in the history of my claim have always been minor and reported on the day of the change. By that I mean increases or decreases in between 2 to 3 hours a week, and childcare when my son was split between a nursery and a childminder. This was a few years ago though so a few renewals have passed.
I suppose I'm just frustrated as like i say my salary hasn't changed. My issue is I haven't been able to declare my pension payments prior to this process which I feel could have avoided this situation.
I've had to rely on tax credits to top up my wages. I've never allowed myself, or a least thought I haven't, to be over paid. I've remained in the same job with just slightly adjusted hours around my son. Any change I have made and I mean in money terms it's not made a massive difference, my award has always been adjusted 'to take into account and avoid overpayments'.
I guess I just hate this process as there is no way of knowing how it's worked out and its a case of waiting to find out why they've come to their decision

OP posts:
DustyDoorframes · 10/05/2019 08:57

The other thing I find maddening is that you have wait for them to send the renewal. Ours always comes in the summer, and they ALWAYS have to give us a lump sum to cover the fact they've randomly dropped our payment in April. And then they start overpaying us so then dock the overpayments! It just seems so arbitrary a lot of the time. We are both self employed so it is complicated, but our incomes are fairly stable, while our TCs vary HUGELY. I even once had a letter saying "we are overpaying you, and we are going to continue to overpay you for the rest of this year and claim it back next year"?!?

Original poster
NGC2017 · 10/05/2019 09:22

that's terrible @DustyDoorframes

Alot of the time I have found their practices very unfair and unjustified.

The one year I had a month of no tax credits without any notice. Apparently I had been over paid. For the life of me I cannot understand how and where, as I went back through all my award notices and amended award notices to make sure the updates had gone through, which they all had been confirmed. That was a time where my son was pretty much in full time childcare too. I dont know how I got through that month!
I remember waking up that morning and checking my bank and going into a panic thinking what the hell am I going to do, I had childcare to pay the same day with no money to pay it. When I called them all I got was ‘you have been overpaid and that’s how we take it back’. I am an angry cryer, im not nasty with it, but when I am angry about something I will cry. Especially as it is so unfair how they work. They did not want to help me, and informed me of the percentage rate of successful appeals. I cant quite remember the figure but the figure is so so so low that they may as well have said you will never win if you appeal.

I think both Tax Credits and UC are nightmare systems. And if I am being really honest I wish I didn’t have to claim TC due to all the stress and uncertainty they cause. I am grateful for the help as we already live well below the poverty line (due to ex's debts all in my name :-( ) so TC help me massively with getting us by each month.

But renewals suck!

Even more so now as my income and hours are stable. My son is in school, so the only issue I have is that I have to inform them of my pension payments, which I do think if you know its going to be the case long term, e.g. I will be paying into a pension monthly my entire work life, you should be able to submit proof of this before the new tax year. I know for some doing that would be a ball aches, but I would be more than happy to upload monthly payslips and an annual pension statement to support my claim.

It does make me feel better that I am not on my own though. Seems many have issues with them

OP posts:
Original poster
NGC2017 · 10/05/2019 16:21

Another day, and no tax credits renewal pack. There is no way they are posted the day they give you. It must have to go through various procedures before physically making it into the post.
I don't get why it can't all be electronic! You can manage them online so why not just issue the renewal electronically

OP posts:
SnapesGreasyHair · 11/05/2019 13:08

I haven't received mine yet. No idea when it was/is posted though. My surname begins with a P

Confuzzlediddled · 11/05/2019 14:32

Mine has dropped from 400 a month in March to 90 a month this month, I'm so thankful I've finally found a job that will mean we no longer rely on it, just waiting for a start date and hoping payday won't be too long coming...

ItWentInMyEye · 11/05/2019 14:41

Can you not renew through the app?

AdelaideK · 11/05/2019 14:44

Mine has gone down £100 too. I haven't had my renewal pack either but usually they give me back pay when they realise I haven't had a pay rise like they predict.

Original poster
NGC2017 · 11/05/2019 18:20

I personally think they should only lower them when they have informed you of their intentions. I was expecting mine to go down as of April, but they didn't. They increased slightly to what I believed I should have been getting strangely. Then on bank holiday last week I checked the app and it had been lowered. It works out at £100 a month. I can only think that it is because they don't know I pay into a pension, something they have told me I can only declare at the renewal.
I just hope it comes through soon so I can get this sorted. However I have heard they have to contact the pension provider to confirm my payments. I do get this BUT surely my annual statement from Nest is perfectly fine.... No, apparently not

OP posts:
MumUnderTheMoon · 11/05/2019 18:26

Sign up for the app then you can manage your tax credits online.

IggyAce · 11/05/2019 18:34

Apparently you can’t renew online until you receive your pack, because you need to check and confirm the declaration that’s contained within it.

Original poster
NGC2017 · 11/05/2019 19:32

Can't renew through the app until your pack has arrived. I've tried

OP posts:
Original poster
NGC2017 · 13/05/2019 09:16

Morning!

Hopefully this will be the week our renewal pack arrives...i bloody hope so as I want to get this sorted.

I have heard before its done alphabetically. How true is this? My surname begins with W, so if true would mean that all declarations will be out now, or very nearly

OP posts:
DustyDoorframes · 13/05/2019 15:32

We are L and C and have never had it before mid June...

Original poster
NGC2017 · 13/05/2019 15:49

So that's not true then. I normally get mine June too. I wish now I hadn't of contacted them last week and asked if it had been sent as every day its not hear just makes me more annoyed. Funny really as every amendment I've ever made I get a letter through the post within a few days.

Maybe tomorrow

OP posts:
IWantMyHatBack · 13/05/2019 16:29

Thanks for this thread, I didn't realise there was an app so I've downloaded that, and in the process discovered the Help To Save scheme, which I've signed up for.

Original poster
NGC2017 · 13/05/2019 16:57

The app is really useful for keeping on track of your income tax and tax credits. I had just hoped that as they have advanced enough to get an app created that renewals were more straight forward.

Renewals take place from April until end of July. They can put your payments down at any time but can send you your pack at anytime towards the end of that deadline. Just seems unfair.

I don't want to knock tax credits because they really are our life line, but money is so tight as it is, to just take away money and make you wait for your explanation really is unkind.

I've sat down today and have worked out the difference is definitely my pension payments. So that itself gives me a little confidence that the 100 a month loss won't be forever, I hope at least. But I just think things like this should be able to be submitted in advance. It is something they are aware of year in, year out although my payments only really increased in the last 18 months. I have had numerous conversations but they won't accept evidence until declaration.
I suppose the 'real time' nature of UC is a good move. But then I'd still have the same crap surely as my pension payments are paid after tax and national insurance so the HMRC won't be make aware of these.

It would seem though alot of us have our battles with them

OP posts:
lovelydayyyyyyy · 14/05/2019 19:24

@NGC2017 I received mine today after it being sent on 2nd May