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Original poster

Tax credit renewals - anyone heard back?

289 replies

Divgirl2 · 01/07/2019 10:59

I've been checking the HMRC app every hour day for the last three weeks but still nothing. Has anyone heard back yet? I renewed at the beginning of June.

I was on mat leave for a decent chunk of last year and so my pay was considerably less what they say it was (exactly what I had declared it would be, but there you go) so what I get currently is leaving me £200 short every month.

Really hoping I hear soon because it's miserable being skint.

OP posts:
sleepinginthegarden · 07/08/2019 20:21

Does that mean your missing around £250 in payments what your entitled too to?

As for regards the underpayment from last year, it should usually get paid once they finalise your claim.

Im wondering if we are on provsional payments still, and renewal hasn't fully been processed yet.

SpideyMom · 07/08/2019 20:51

I called earlier. She said the underpayment will be dealt with separately and they call me to see if I want a bacs or a cheque.

She said as as my payments are now showing I should class it as finalised and paperwork will be sent out. I did say I don't agree with it but will await the paperwork and then contact them about that.
The 250 is over the year. So I know not a massive amount but still I don't get it. What I mean by that is, They tell you what your annual entitlement is split over the different elements. They then take 41% from everything earned over 6420. So I take that figure away from my full entitlement to give my my annual award.

I probably shouldnt be working off what I feel they will be as my app is clearly wrong. For the next few weeks I get a new amount and then from September I don't get WTC at all despite them paying it me no problem when they believed I was earning alot more. So my calculations are based on getting the next few payments amount consistently over the remainder of the year. Still works out less than the annual entitlement minus the 41% withdrawal.

Suppose I just need to be happy something has happened

danni0509 · 07/08/2019 21:19

@sleepinginthegarden I would say if your payments have changed your renewal is complete.

Similar happened with mine, waited almost 6 weeks then one day noticed by payment schedule had changed a little, I phoned last Thursday to ask why my payments had changed online for the next 8 weeks but it was still showing processing online and she said the renewal had been completed the day before and paperwork would be sent out.

I still haven't received paperwork (I know that's not unusual as it takes forever) but my app still says processing a week later.

I do know it's completed though as she told me.

danni0509 · 07/08/2019 21:21

@sleepinginthegarden it actually still gives me the option to renew by the 31st July 😆 but she said a week ago my renewal is complete, must be an error with the system. I'm not sure.

danni0509 · 07/08/2019 21:25

@SpideyMom that's bizarre that they would phone you to ask how you want to receive it, I had a £200 underpayment from hmrc last year and it went straight into my bank as a one off payment automatically.

Then another year we were due money from my son getting the severe disability element of tax credit and were due nearly 1k by the time it was sorted and they paid me £400 in a one off payment then spread the other £600 over my remaining weekly payments.

I'm so pleased you have moved forward since I last read! Will your weekly payments be a bit higher now?

Does yours still say processing on the app? Xx

SpideyMom · 07/08/2019 21:49

Yes my app still says processing and online gives me the option to complete again.

I honestly don't know what to think anymore.

Earlier I was told my payments had ended as I haven't completed my renewal. A few hours later they reappeared but lower than expected.

During April my payments went up to what the figure I'd calculated them to be which was pretty much the same amount I get from the online calculator too. So I was expecting that amount if in honest. I honestly thought I'd cracked how they are calculated in April when what I calculated and what I was paid was the same (lol). Even taking into account what's already been paid the figures are wrong. Unfortunately the paperwork will likely arrive whilst I'm away so it's something to look through when I'm back.

I am pleased my payments are more than what I was getting but still not back to what they should be in my opinion.
I've said I will wait for the paperwork before I discuss it with them.

I've basically got a really low payment tomorrow, a one off payment on Monday (which is whats not been paid since May) and then payments abit higher than I'm getting now until September when I lose WTC altogether which doesn't make any sense at all.

As for the underpayment I found it strange too. She did say it would be dealt with separately so won't be showing in my app as the refers to the current tax year. But why call me to ask if I want it paid into my bank or a cheque. It's bizarre. I can't see they have spread it over the year as then my payments are really wrong.

Holiday in under 2 weeks so I can relax a little and hopefully my worrying will go. But it's frustrating it isn't right still and it takes an eternity for the paperwork to arrive. She did make me laugh earlier. She was like you will receive your paperwork and finalised award any day now. Lol, she probably meant in August 2020! xx

danni0509 · 07/08/2019 22:19

@SpideyMom I think your being a little generous.

August 2022 at the very earliest!

Lol x

SpideyMom · 07/08/2019 22:35

@danni0509 brilliant lol

SpideyMom · 08/08/2019 08:39

Another day another issue and I have got to tell you all.

I've contacted again to discuss my underpayment and why as of September WTC has been stopped. I've been informed that my claim has been finalised on my estimated earnings for last year and not my actual, which is why my payments are wrong. So it makes sense now why they are less than expected.

If I don't laugh I would cry

SpideyMom · 08/08/2019 08:44

And apparently although they now have my actual earned income because my estimate was higher the system works on ranges so doesnt actually use my actual earned income.

Oh my brain Confused

SpideyMom · 08/08/2019 09:12

Sorry to post again but I've just worked it out and my new payments match my new award figures.

I've really had enough now. I'm calling the payments team later to get this sorted. Why declare your actual earned income for 'their system' to decide to use your estimated income for the last tax year

WeBuiltCisCityOnSexistRoles · 08/08/2019 10:26

Just popping in to say, in the past when I had a spectacular fuck up with tax credits, I finally went to my MP. Apparently they have quick access to contacts within HMRC to get issues resolved for constituents. My MP got involved and my fuck up was resolved within a week.

This was a couple of years ago so don't know if it's still the same, but it may be worth it? I initially contacted my MP by email, they got involved straight away and it was resolved very quickly - after I had been at it for months!

I am as far away as possible on the political spectrum from my MP Grin but still their help was invaluable.

Just passing it on in case it helps anyone.

WeBuiltCisCityOnSexistRoles · 08/08/2019 10:27

Also this in the days when it cost a lot to keep phoning and be stuck on hold for an hour - I got the cost of my phone calls back!

SpideyMom · 08/08/2019 10:29

Actually been sat here this morning thinking my MP will be my next course of action. I have contacted him many times for CMS and its always been sorted in a timely manner.

Need to get all my calculations typed up so I can send them to him to send to the hmrc

SpideyMom · 08/08/2019 16:55

Just re read my post at 9.12 today. I meant my new weekly payments matches my estimated earnings for last year, not my actual earned.

Anyway, I've contacted my local MP with a really long email. I figured get as much information in as possible, calculations and everything so they can address it properly with the tax credits office.

Chasingsquirrels · 08/08/2019 17:41

If your actually income is less than £2,500 different than the previous year, on which your provisional award is based, then they use the previous year figures for this year's award and then the actual figures are used for your provisional award for next year.

If they are more than £2,500 different then they use the current year figures but adjust by £2,500.

So your aware for a year is never totally based on the actual year figures, it is either last year's OR this year's adjusted by £2,500.

But they need to finalise the figures to know this and to have the information for the next year award.

Chasingsquirrels · 08/08/2019 17:43

If you fall into the above, ie less than £2,500 different then all they are doing is applying the legislation, your MP won't be able to change that.

If the figures are more than £2,500 different you need to appear the award.

Chasingsquirrels · 08/08/2019 17:46

And on renewals, I had a text this morning to call them about an incomplete return, called around 2pm (that's fun isn't it!) and explained why (pension) which she recorded, and it's now showing as complete with my award to come out within 2 weeks.

I've got a memory that last year they finalised the award, and then wrote to me querying the amount and I had to send I proof, but it was a few months later.

SpideyMom · 08/08/2019 17:59

Yes thank you for that. It's what I thought already

sleepinginthegarden · 08/08/2019 18:27

I honestly don't think this new system is working, phoned other day as asked to via text as incomplete renewal, advisor stated it was asking for self employment figure told her i wasnt self employed and have never been, just logged on to account to find its asking me to confirm self employment figure by jan 2020, no wonder my payments aren't correct if they dont have the correct details etc.. going to wait for paper work and challenge them regarding it then as obviously i can't see everything on the online account.

SpideyMom · 08/08/2019 19:05

Oh @sleepinginthegarden that's terrible. What an utter mess

danni0509 · 08/08/2019 19:16

@SpideyMom & @sleepinginthegarden do yours still say processing and give you the option to still renew? Mines still stuck on that & still no paperwork.

danni0509 · 08/08/2019 19:23

On the app it says renew or check your claims in that green box, then when I press that it says processing.

Then on the desktop site, it says processing (no green box option to renew on that bit) & says it should be complete by 30th November.. the 23rd August date it's always said has gone off the desk top site now and just says renewal processing should be finished by 30th November.

I was told 8 days ago it's complete & paperwork would be sent. Strange.

SpideyMom · 08/08/2019 19:51

I think migration may be looming sooner than we think. Tax Credits doesn't work efficiently. I don't really think it ever has. My Mom had issues with it over 18 years ago where she was hit but a massive overpayment and couldn't understand why. Just reading over past experiences shows its always been a system that many claimants struggle with due to the lack of transparency. Fast forward to now it's still very problematic.

My app still shows the same as well as online. I was at least hoping for it to now be showing as complete as then I'd feel like my papers have been posted. My wtc is still showing as ending in September, which is not right at all. I wonder if the brown envelope will arrive before I go away

sleepinginthegarden · 09/08/2019 07:44

Mine no longer gives me the oprion to renew but Still says ready for processing, but gives me the option to report actual profit from self employment.
Its just one big mess, I don't understand how they have me down as self employed, and when it changed to that, hopefully paperwork will be here when i have to give details of eldest staying on at sixth form and then i can do everything in one phonecall.