Tax Credit have lost the birth certificate

[GentleOtter]

The Tax Credit office have taken three months to tell us that they have not received our son's birth certificate (despite our having sent it some while ago).

Child benefit cannot process our claim because of the above.

The woman I spoke to at the HMR&C was like a stuck record and I am in tears now.

What to do? How many times are we supposed to send the birth certificate? That was a duplicate and the second one sent.

It is an awful day. I just set fire to the dinner as I was through writing this post.

Oh No GentleOtter! Is this the point at which your MP might come in useful do you think?

I can sympathise with you. This happened to me, they were completely unapologetic and said I should have sent it recorded (which I did!!! ) I just had to get another copy and send it recorded again (Whichwas complicated as DD was born and registered abroad so it took ages.) Its a pita and completely frustrating. Good luck and hope the day gets better.

yes, contact your mp...they are very useful for sorting this kind of thing out.

Thank you all very much for replying.
I was so upset that they refused to accept their own incompetence and were prepared to blame us for the loss of the birth certificate.

Our poor MP! He is already working on several issues that we have been struggling with so although loathe to add another complaint, the HMR&C have to pull their socks up.

(Today was hideous - all the cows escaped, the ram knocked me over into the mud then I incinerated the food.)

Complain and request compensation and get your MP involved.

Obtain a duplicate from the registar (although there is a fee) and send to CHB requesting backdating if applicable.

It was the duplicate . It was £14 to get and it seems like there is no option other than do it all again.
What makes me so upset is the HMR&C are prepared to stop the claim despite their incompetence. The woman on the phone would not listen and kept repeating that they needed the birth certificate.
I was also worried about identity fraud as the certificates are originals.

Otter - why are you saying they have lost the certificates and are incompetent? It certainly is possible that they never received them in the first place. Have you proof that they did receive them then went on to lose them?

GentleOtter, it's sort of off the subject, but your horrid day with the animals made me think of it and I thought it might make you smile.....

Dh is a mature student at Leeds University and has made friends with some Syrian students who are lovely but young and male and consequently a little oblivious. Last Saturday dh went for a bbq at their flat and when it started to rain he had to spend a bit of effort explaining to them why they could not just move the charcoal bbq into the flat (though I did wonder about Dh when he said that his main reason for not doing so was to avoid setting of the smoke alarms). Then this morning they asked him where they could buy a lamb. He suggested ASDA or Tesco. They said no, they wanted a LIVE (!!!) one. Dh thought they were joking (being unaware that we are approaching the muslim holiday Id where a large focus of the celebration is slaughtering a lamb). When he finally realized that they were not joking, he then had to spend quite a bit of effort explaining to them that in the middle of Leeds, England, it would not be acceptable to slaughter a lamb in their parking lot and dispose of the guts and skin and things in the apartment block's rubbish bins. He is not entirely sure that they were convinced and is wondering if it is safe to attend their bbq dinner tomorrow, as he doesn't really want to get arrested for being party to a parking lot lamb slaughter.

Is there not some other way to submit your son's birth certificate? Maybe at a local tax office, in person? If not, make sure that you attach something to the birth certificate that connects it to your application (your NI number or something...ask them what would be best). Also, have you asked to speak to a supervisor? I had full written authority to handle my dh's tax matters and the Inland Revenue had a copy of the letter in their files, but every time I called, the person would deny its existence and I'd have to insist on speaking to a supervisor who would then miraculously find the missing document.

Squishabelle - you are right. Perhaps they did not receive them although I somehow doubt it. We will send of another copy by registered post today.

SofiaAmes - I would have cheerfully given those students that ram yesterday. (repeat performance today....). It got farcical, trying to run away in thick mud, slipping and nearly losing a wellie with a huge ram seeing me off.

Today, I will try a supervisor, keep polite and calm and resend the amended certificate.
Many thanks.

Well it appears that they had it after all. .

Hooray!!!! I hope you got the name of the person who knows that it's there.

don't tell anyone.

They had lost the form which was stapled to the birth certificate. BC is being sent back and I've resent the form.

Fingers crossed....

I had a similar problem - they lost three copies. Either send it recorded (annoying I know) or do as I did. We arranged that our health visitor would sign and fax a photocopy of it.

Sorry didn't read whole thread. I hope you get it sorted.

We have received the birth certificate back today but with the fourth form asking for our details.
When I phoned HMR&C they said that I had not sent the letter properly. (?!)
Apparently, you have to send the form and birth certificate together (which we did). They are saying that although the b c arrived, the form which was stapled to the certificate did NOT arrive.They have not arrived together three times. What is going on....

Emma The woman refused to put me through to a supervisor. This is like Groundhog Day.

Fifth form just arrived.

They will not let me speak to the complaints manager. She went home......
If I complain in writing, will the letter be seen?