#### Please let's support Spacecadet ##########

[desperatehousewife]

Spacecadet is currently having to deal with more than anyone should ever have to deal with in a lifetime.

She has experienced over the last few months a stillbirth, serious illness, looking after with no help a house full of children and a consequence a husband who has walked out.

Please can we do something positive and practical to help spacey out over the next few months.

Lovely mumsnet have said that they will give out the details of their po box address so that any of us that feel so generously inclined could rustle up a few quid to go into a nanny fund or an au pair fund or so that we can find a company that make lovely homemade food and deliver it to her every week.

Please support me on this - If everyone gave just £1 we'd be able to offer some amazing help to SC.

I'm sorry Spacey if you are angry with me for starting this thread - I know you are proud and you have coped admirably with everything - but please just accept that we want to help.

I will post details of who to make cheque payable to and where to send it, just as soon as I have the details. In the meantime, please look behind your cushions on your sofa and in the bottom of your handbag amongst the fluff to dig out those coins.

Thank you so much
DHW

pmsl. my internet connection also decided to play silly b$ggers, so I was only just able to get on and post that!!

spacecadet

Dont think tax credits even read the names, just the NI number, is it your H NI number?? Also you can claim over the phone, call them first thing

waterfalls, no its not h.s ni number either, its very odd. i will ring them tomorrow, i bet they say i have to submit another application form, i wonder if they bin your forms once theyve refused your claim

mts-can you still mail gizmo for me a ive lost her email addy.

can I e-mail you her address instead - just that I've not got your landline number to hand

ok then-that would be great

Oh Spacey, thats crap... I wish I knew something useful, but I'll leave tax credit advice to those who do. I don't. Keeping my fingers crossed for you not having to re-apply.
xxx

(having them mess up your application is crap, obviously, not anything you said! Bah, must stop posting when I'm on my way to bed and half asleep [blush})

c & p ing what I've put on a separate thread this morning:-

As many of you know, Spacecadet has had an extraordinarily difficult time during the last few months - she has suffered a stillbirth, been seriously ill with pneumonia and her husband left her last month. To compound the emotional and physical strain of the last few months, the Tax Credits people are causing her enormous financial stress. When she notified them that her DH had left her, they cancelled her Tax Credits immediately, and said she would have to reapply. She submitted her forms a few weeks ago, and returned from seeing her mother yesterday to find that her application had been rejected. When she phoned up the Tax Credits helpline to try and sort this out, the worker was distinctly unhelpful - told her that the letter would have explained why her application was rejected - (it didn't) and told her to reapply again. When I spoke to SC this morning about it she was absolutely distraught with worry. She is concerned that there is no guarantee that the application would be accepted next time. She is confident that she omitted no information from the recent form she filled in. As she hasn't had the tax credit payment for several weeks, bills are starting to pile up, and she thinks she will have to sell her car.

Please could you advise as to how she can resolve the situation. Her nearest CAB (Ely) is only open 2 days a week and isn't particularly helpful.

Spacecadet, we are having serious problems with Tax Credits at the moment too (different reasons).

Ring your MP and explain your situation. MPs have a direct line to Tax Credits that is not available to the general public. The government set it up to avoid MP's going "public" with examples of people being treated so unfairly. Stress to your MP that you are facing extreme hardship and distress, could lose your home etc - they will help out. If Tax Credits are contacted direct by an MP, they will do anything to sort it out. HTH (we are almost at the point of contacting ours)

thanks miaou, i think my mp will be my next stop, im so desperate, i will try anything, have only just stopped crying.
sorry to hear you are having probs too, seems tax credits are more trouble than they are worth.

have sent you a couple of e-mails SC - there is meant to be a Tax Enquiry Centre in Cambridge where you can deal with people face to face.

really?? will check my emails now.

Found this on the BBC news site, thought there may be some helpful stuff included:

Q&A: Tax credit problems

Many people have been overpaid tax credits
The tax credit system has been criticised for "completely unacceptable" errors, with one third of recipient families having been overpaid, according to a new report.

Many people in receipt of tax credit have told the BBC News website that they are still having problems - and are becoming increasingly frustrated and, in some cases, even desperate.

BBC News website offers some guidance.

I've been overpaid. What should I do?

If you have been overpaid, and expect your income for the current tax year to rise by more than £2,500, you must tell the HMRC.

You can either contact the tax credit helpline or write in to: HM Revenue & Customs Tax Credits, Comben House, Farriers Way, Netherton, L69 1BY.

The tax credit helpline number is 0845 300 3900.

You must also tell HMRC about a number of other changes in circumstance.

More details are available in WTC2 - Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit - A Guide, available on the HMRC's website.

I'm worried about debt. Where can I turn?

If you are worried about debt, there are a number of free debt advice agencies which can help you.

Try Consumer Credit Counselling Service (0800 1381111), National Debtline (0808 8084000) or Citizens Advice (020 7833 2181).

I want compensation for extra costs. I have got a query which can't wait, and I can't get through to the helpline?

The government has told BBC News that it will not set up a separate compensation scheme for tax credits.

Complaints procedure
1.Tax Office
2. Local Director
3. Adjudicators' Office
4. Parliamentary Ombudsman

Instead, claims will be processed through the Revenue's standard complaints procedure.

The compensation scheme is not well publicised.

However, it could be a lifeline to people who have incurred extra costs, such as financial charges or telephone costs as a result of mistakes made by the HMRC.

The HMRC can also offer compensation for worry and distress if it can be proved that mistakes and delays have caused a "great deal of inconvenience or irritation".

In addition, it could pay out if it handled a complaint badly or took an unreasonable time to deal with it.

Payments tend to range between £25 and £500 in these two categories.

Remember that payments are not automatic - and it will be up to the Revenue to decide on whether your case is valid.

If you want to complain, you need to download a copy of Code of Practice 1, can be found under the site index or the "Leaflets and Booklets" section on the Revenue's website.

I need my tax credit money urgently - and haven't received it yet. How can I get it?

If your money has not arrived, the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is advising people to go down to their local inquiry centre - and try and get an emergency payment.

You can find out about where the office is on the HMRC website (see link on right).

You need to take your awards notice with you.

If you haven't received it yet, you should take confirmation of your national insurance number, such as an NI card or payslip.

In these cases, assessment will be based on individual circumstances, the HMRC said, and hardship.

Be prepared for a patient wait, though. Most tax offices are still extremely busy handling similar queries.

I have got a query which can't wait, and I can't get through to the helpline?

You could go down to your local HMRC Inquiry Centre.

Location details are on the HMRC's website (see link).

Take your awards notice with you. If you haven't received it yet, you should take confirmation of your national insurance number, such as an NI card or payslip.

Alternatively, you could contact your MP.

MPs and their researchers have their own little-known-about "tax credit" hotline to help constituents with complaints.

By contacting your MP you can effectively fast track your query.

You can find out how to contact your MP via the link on the right, through the parliament website, or by dialling the House of Commons switchboard on 020 7219 3000, and asking for the MP's office.

If you have problems with your MP not responding to your queries, you should address your complaint to the party's headquarters.

I'm being underpaid. How can I get more credit

Your tax credit payment is currently based on your income two years' ago.

This means some people will be missing out, because their income has dropped, for example, through a change in circumstance, such as redundancy.

The Revenue says contacting the helpline is the best route, but if people can not get through, they should visit their local enquiry centre.

For more details see WTC2 - Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit - A Guide, available on the HMRC's website.