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I have been claiming both of the above since 1/6/11. Still no closer to receiving either. The problem is my ex partner who left me at the end of May has yet to declare that she no longer has the two girls who are living with me. She been falsly cliaming since she left me. I've sent supporting letters from social services stating the children I am claiming for are with me and not with her but still they won't pay me. They say that until my ex partner responds to letters sent to her from the tax office they can't do anything. In the case of the child benefit she has 12 weeks to reply but they won't tell me any dates involve. We are currently managing on £135 a fortnight for single person's jsa and £30 a week from social services. I've tried numerous people including CAB today who said just keep putting pressure on tax credits! Thats what i've been doing for the past 12 weeks!!! Does anyone have any ideas on how I can sort this?
I don't know how it is now but when I went through this six years ago it was all down to the child benifit claim... once that was in my name everything went ahead.
The problem was that it is automaticaly put in the mothers name when the child is born, the father can be a named person on the claime and can, in my case, cash the book, but it's not actualy in your name and so what ever system they (inland revenue DWP) have on their computers, or how ever they work it out, I dunno, won't work untill it is changed over.
It took me a few months, luckily my sister looked after me in the meantime.
Good luck bigearl79... if it's any consolation you'll be able to laugh about it in a few years.
I have just sent a copy of my post on here outlining my problems and a copy of your advice to my local MP. I am not holding my breath on this one as it seems every avenue I turned down seems to lead to a deadend. I thankyou for your advice none the less.
Let us know how you get on
As yet no reply. I went yesterday to see a local group in Scunthorpe who help people in these such problems. She advised me that most people will tell me no matter what I do I will hit a wall with this due to data protection due to the fact my ex is the one who needs to reply to a letter. Obviously they can't tell me anything due to data protection. The advisor said by around the 14th September they should sort me out regardless. I made the claim on 1/6/11 and they got the paperweek back showing it on their system from 17/6/11. That will have been 12 weeks then using the date of 17/6/11 so that should be enough time for them to sort it. She said if I i've they havn't sorted it by 14/9/11 she will make a phone call with me to sort it.
Ok although that seems an awfully long time away, at least you have something to aim for now. Glad you have a found a helpful advisor there, too!
Don't be afraid to apply for a food parcel in the meantime as I mentioned above, we all need a helping hand from time to time and you are doing a great job with the children 
Spoke to my social worker today to update her about things. She told me she'd just spoke to child benefit about this case. She told them this was putting myself and my two girls into poverty and the length of time this had taken was unacceptable. She pressed the point that without the child benefit number I cannot gain access to other money we are entitled to. She has been promised it will be investigated further and they will get back to her within five working days.
That is at LAST beginning to sound hopeful although that is ridiculous that it has taken so long
I'm glad the social worker is helping with this.
Hope it all gets sorted soon.
Think social worker helping more now as they are giving £30 a week and can only do that for 12 weeks she said. 12 weeks are nearly up. Pity she couldn't have done more sooner though.
Exactly!!
Still no reply from the MP.
Bank Holiday Monday, so hopefully something on Tuesday. Maybe send another copy just in case, it can't hurt anyway can it?
Just sent e-mail again as still no reply!
Hi bigearl79, do you have a number for your MP's office? If so, it will probably be an answering service, however, I would call and leave a message requesting a response to your email as soon as possible.
How was your bank holiday weekend?
Hi Big Earl, as someone mentioned above, I believe it all hinges on getting the child benefit in your name. There really should be a quicker service - if a Social Worker vouches the children are with you - that should be enough and the Child benefit should be switched to your name. Doesn't seem to work like that in real life tho. Good luck, hope all's sorted soon.
Had a phone call from my MP about half an hour after I contacted him by e-mail again. Apparently he's made some phone calls since the first e-mail and some will be in my bank by the end of the week. Also he's sent me a letter with all the details on. Will phone social worker on friday morning and find out where she is and update her on things. Hopefully I am nearly. And after a very good bank holiday weekend this news yesterday has made it even better! Thanks to all the advice on here and hopefully my next message on here will be to tell you it's all sorted. Hope you all had a good bank holiday weekend especially you Anna.
Well done, bigearl79, it is good to hear that things are now progressing!!!
Some money appeared in my bank today. No letters telling me what it is and until I go to Scunthorpe tomorrow I won't know what it is.
Sounds hopeful!
Hope it's what you're expecting bigearl.
Certainly not the full amount of backdated money. Will find out today what it is exactly and go forward from there. Phoned social worker who hasn't heard back from anyone this week. She will call them on monday(or so she says!).
At least it is something to be going on with but yes, make sure you get it sorted
I hope things are 'getting there' for you.
Got a letter from child benefit telling me the've paid me backdated child benefit money. Also got a child benefit number. Now to sort tax credits out over the next few days. They owe 15 weeks at the end of the week.
WOW I am glad that the wheels are finally turning. 15 weeks of tax credits will be a lot of money, and I am sure desperately needed for all sorts of things. Good luck with your claim
Hi bigearl79, finally, things are happening. As Louise says, it will be quite a bit sum, so be careful, no Caribbean Cruises or anything!
Hi bigearl79
That is absolutely ridiculous and you are not the first person I have heard of that this has happened to. I agree about putting pressure on the Tax Credit people but of course you have already been doing this. I would get in touch with your MP. Find their details here, and they will contact Tax Credits on your behalf. You can refer the matter to the Adjudicator's office but unfortunately they expect you to have a letter from the Tax Credits Office in final response to your claim, and is this is not going to happen at this stage. The MP can refer you to the Financial Ombudsman but this won't be done until you have been through the Adjudicator...catch 22!!!! so explain this to the MP and ask trhem not to refer you to the Ombudsman but to intervene directly with Tax Credits on your behalf; it is an emergency situation.
The other thing to do is to speak to Social Services again and explain yet again what has happened and ask them to refer you for an bigger Emergency payment. I am presuming that is what the £30 a week is? Also get any help you can in the form of food parcels from the Salvation Army and the Trussell Trust in the meantime to keep you going, there is no shame in this, or if there is it is the shame of the authorities in not sorting this out!!