how useless is the tax credits agency!

[zoej]

I am desperatly trying to get organised for my return to work on the 1st August - i have the job, the nanny etc Now organising all the other things like PAYE company to help with all the tax. I though I was good trying to get organised in advance - but no not where the tax credit system is concerned ! I am not allowed to inform them of my return to work and details until I have actually started work!!! Like as if I won't have enough on my plate my first day back at work! Has anyone else had the same problem? You think they would be happy for people to be pro-active!

Yup, I got told that! You can claim for childcare costs 8 days in advance - IF you've claimed previously. New claimants have to wait until first day at work. In my case, I'm glad I couldn't as my job got ballsed up, so I'm glad I don't have to deal with telling them "oh sorry, no longer got that job, I've got this one instead"!! They are open until 8, so you can send the kids to bed early and sit and listen to classical music on the phone for 20 mins on hold to help you unwind......

very, very very useless

They are useless!!
When I had DD my DH and I were advised to fill in the forms to see if we would get anything. We weren't entitles to a penny but without fail every year they send us the pieces of paper saying that we are entitled to £0.00 and if we dont sign and send back the forms then we will not get £0.00.
We don't sign or send the forms and then get another set of letters saying that as we havent sent the forms back then we have lost our entitlement to £0.00!!!!

so exactly why are we going back to work to pay gordon Brown to spend out money on these useless schemes????

Charlene1 - just to say thank you for making me laugh!

Anytime!!!

Likewise we don't get anything and we had to pay quite a lot back last year cos they work on salaries of about 3 years ago. They send everything separately to each of us. We moved recently and we jointly wrote quoting both names, NI numbers and both signing. They have now written to hubby here and me at the old house telling us we're not entitled. I give up ....