When I first left my wife I also had to leave two jobs and where I was living and move two counties away.. I went from working tax to child tax, I told them everything straight away they eventualy sorted out my child tax but continued to pay my working tax, despite me repeatedly phoning them and telling them, it was actually something of a god send as it took months for my income support to be sorted out..
I had to pay it all back though!! I still am, at £10 a month until 2018 at some point..
They also thought I was self employed during the same period despite me claiming benefits and having had two jobs and gone from working tax to child tax.... which all leads me to believe there is no central data base and no department knows what the other is doing.
AND! phoning them is an exercise in patience, it's good to have a table, a chair, something to do and a cup of coffee, maybe a kettle and the jar.. and snax too if you intend to.
Fantastic advice bubblegum, the phone calls are definitely a test of patience!
Eeyore 73, although I am sure you do already, please keep all documentation for a LONG time, you never know when you might need it. It is always worth photocopying anything you send to them too.
I got paid double tax credit for 6 months, I kept ringing them and telling them, they said 'No, I was entitled to it, due to a miscalculation a couple of years previously' I disagreed with what they were saying, but eventually gave up and started to enjoy the money (I had been putting it into a separate account as I didn't trust that it was mine).
Of course a year later, they told me they had over paid me and they wanted it back, I think I am paying them back monthly until 2016! It ridiculous. And very confusing.
Wouldn't it be nice to have your own personal advisor, who you spoke to every time, face to face, who knew your circumstances and was then able to give you upfront direct answers.
Great idea for a topic Eeyore 73 as I am sure that many people need a good rant about the complexity of tax credits!
Always remember that the person on the other end of the phone isn't personally responsible for the mess : )
Not usually anyway...
Hay Anna!!
I didn't put mine away in a separate bank account.. I just spent it : )
I was quite rich for a while.
and Eeyore73.. I too have a folder in my filing cabinet soley for the tax office.. and all it's manifestations, it even has subfolders and then subfolders within the subfoldres.. it is by far the largest section in my filing cabinet.
:)
Good luck! any news?
Lets hope so, then you can put this behind you and get on with the next thing!! :)
I had a wholly negative experience with tax credits, when I was with my wife I was doing three part time jobs all of which I declared and they sorted it out and gave me working tax credit. I told them everything gave them all the details they asked for and then when my family fell apart I went onto income support and family tax after about six months of bureaucratic hell and then after all that I get a bill for two odd thousand pounds because they told me they had over paid me.
It makes me very worried about my daughters impending seventh birthday and very reluctant to go out and find work because it seems very much safer here on income support, despite being poor and not having all the stuff I'd like, it's safe and I have all he stuff I need.
No there is just the main number. However my "secret tip" is that they open at 8am even on Sundays. Not many people are calling them at 8.01am on a Sunday so it is worth trying then.
Dawnellen I'm paying £10 a month until sometime in two thousand and twenty something, don't recall the exact date but basically forever! just in time in fact for them to mess up my pension : )
I love the way they explain, and then 'we' lose completely what they are talking about, hehe. So glad you had a lovely meal, may you have many more 
I'm so glad you had a treat.
Nice that you had a treat.
Glad my tip about the early morning worked, heh heh.
These things are often a mystery....Glad it helped at the time though
Has anyone else had to set up an extra password, well two actually, with the Working Tax Credit people? When I phoned the other week I had to go through this system of setting up an extra security question, she was adamant that I should not write it down and that if I forgot it before next time then woe betide me.
Ok thanks, I had not heard of it before.
They asked me where my first holiday was! I thought it was trick question, they said no we asked you as a security question / password and you need to give me the right answer. I actually got the giggles because i couldnt believe it, I took a wild stab and said "X" and it was right. To this day I am convinced they were having me on.
(Moderator: I removed the holiday venue as it is a password)
Mine was about my car!
Hello Eeyore73
A lot of people have had trouble with Tax Credits. Every time you make any sort of change they seem to be obliged to send out another assessment. A friend of mine went on holiday and was horrified when she returned to find eleven different assessments on her doormat!
If you still think you are getting the wrong amount (well I am sure you would welcome ANY amount right now) then you can either contact the, again or go to a thrid party like the Citizen's Advice who will check your entitlement. They also may have a different number to ring the Tax Credit office on, one that only advisers can use.
In the meantime you might be interested in this: http://www.taxcc.org/