Tax Credits-have had enough now.

[jenk1]

im sat here in tears, just got off the phone to the tax credits.
basically for 4 weeks ive had no money, i stopped the joint claim cos me and xdh split and started a new one 4 weeks ago.
they wont give me an answer as to why its taking solong, i told them that as a single mum with 2 disabled children i cant understand why they are leaving me without money and she said its the processing thats taking time.
i asked was there a compliance order on me and she said she didnt understand what i meant, i told her i intend to apply for compensation and she gave me an address.
my mp is off sick atm so cant go through him, i dont know what else to do but im living on handouts and the kids dla.
anyone any ideas.
from desperate jen
TIA

Have you applied for income support from that post i werent sure if you have or not. Do you have a social worker or something along those likes for your dc if so get them to phone up tax credits for you it might help pushi it along a bit.

Im so sorry you are going through this. it makes no difference that you are not alone. Its disgraceful.

They claim they are allowed 4 weeks to allow for postage and receipt and a further 6 weeks for processing.

Can you go to your nearest tax office (with another form - filled out) and get them to manually process it, they gave me £50 the following day - not much i know but at least you know its processed and the ball is running.

This is notmally done at the managers discretion. Be warned though they dont like it and you have to SHOUT YOUR HEAD off.

What about a crisis loan?

yes have applied for income support but think im only due £10 per week cos when i eventually get my tax credits it is quite high with having 2 disabled children.
i will phone them about the crisis loan and see if im entitled to it.
theres not much more i can do really.
im going to have to take my daughter out of her nursery cos thats £100 a week and i used to use the dla to pay for that.
at least she will get to go in the afternoon cos thats free but she loves the daycare bit in the morning more.

as for a social worker, ha dont make me laugh, because ds is classed as having aspergers he is too "intellignet" and not disabled enough to warrant one, even though he,s classed as severely disabled by the dla and has a 3-to 1 asistants at his special school, my daughter has hemiplegia and severe incontinence problems ans is undergoing asessment for autism next month and she,s classed as not severe enough for a social worker even though shes classed as severely disabled by dla.

when I split from ex the woman at the job centre (had to see lone parent advisor to get income support)did the application on the computer phone for me and it went straight through with no gaps. Do you have a lone parent advisor? If not you could phone them up and ask for help.

Jenk - Im quite sure your children's DLA or CTC should not be taken into account when calculating your income support.

I would get to the job centre and apply for a crisis loan for now.

No your income support is for you so will not be effected by your kids money like child tax credits etc.

well a bit of good news, got a giro today from income support, its only £46 but better than nothing.
i qualify for £11.85 a week income support cos of my tax credits so surely they must have worked out the cost of my tax credits to give me income support?
didnt know about the lone parent advisor so will be on the phone to them first thing tomorrow.

thanks, Gordon Brown, for a bureaucratic nightmare that regularly leaves people in desperate poverty for weeks whilst their applications are processed.

i hope it gets sorted soon, jenk.

That doesn't sound right. Are you working at all or getting any other income or maintenance or a lot of savings?

Jenk that is very strange i thought your child tax credits was for your children & if you don't work & are a loan parent you get income support for yourself? does your ex give you any money cause i think this can effect your income support?

You should get the set amount for an adult which is believe is around £57 per week, i would question this.

As for tax credits they are the shambles & i am waiting for the day they turn around & say they over paid us even though i have questioned there payments to us because i know they are wrong!

i get some incapacity benefit so thats why the income support is that low.

so at the moment im surviving on (with my income support) roughy £11o a week.

with

gas £20
electric £20
food shopping £50
so that leaves me £20 a week, so im not starving but theres my direct debits, insurance/life policy,water bill,phone bill.
my kids dla are paying for those, which i think in itself is illegal anyway cos thats supposed to be to transport them around for their mobility and i have nothing to spend on them at the weekend, and 2 children with autism in a house 24/7 is a recipe for disaster.
good job exdh has them on a saturday.
but he,s just been laid off at work, he was helping me out but now he,s going to have to sign on while he looks for another job.

DS school breaks up on friday for 2 weeks and he,s going to be heartbroken cos i promised him id take him to chester zoo, im filling up thinking about telling him.

Jenk1 will CAT you later.

ive just read my last message back and i sound like a right whinger .

i know there are many people probably worse off than me, i have a roof over my head and enough food to feed my kids and for that i should count my blessings.

Have CAT'd please tell me if you get it.