Child Tax Credits and Child Benefit

Just a bit of advice really!

My stbx left me leaving me with our child.

My child was in receipt of Child Benefit (Cb), Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA). Whilst I was a 'joint claimant' in respect of CTC and yes, my name is on the child's birth certificate, my wife was the claimant in respect of all the benefits and received the relevant payments direct into her bank account.

For the first 4 weeks following her departure, my stbx paid me a proportion of these benefits to reflect the direct debits she was still paying in respect of her old home and to allow me to get some benefits advice.

After waiting for what seemed an eternity for an appointment, I manage to see a benefits advisor and spoke to the CTC people. They stopped the joint claim and created a new single claim. they indicated that they tried to deal with new claims within 21 days.

The CB people where a little less helpful. They simply told me to complete a new claim which I have done.

The DLA people where even less helpful - they simply told me to write to them which I have done.

I didn't know the exact address of stbx when I submitted these claims so I am presently trying to get her to sign a letter stating that she no longer wishes to claim these benefits and that they can be transferred to me (don't hold your breath!)

You can imagine my present financial situation. Whilst I am in work receiving just over the minimum wage (approx £750 per month)you don't have to be an expert to realise that whilst all the bills could be paid on our joint incomes (in excess of £2,000 per month including benefits)it's a struggle to pay all the bills on £750 per month (struggle is an under statement!).

I have been told it could take up to 14 weeks for CB to be transferred to me and my simple question is this, am I completely debarred from receiving CTC until such time that the CB is transferred to me even though I was previously a CTC joint claimant?

If I am, I might as well 'shut up shop' now and crawl into some dark corner.

Strangely, within days of contacting the CTC people, I have received a notice confirming overpayment albeit that the figure will not be confirmed until April next year.

Does anybody have any expertise?

hi
it took me 7 weeks to get ctc and i came from another country. i rang and complained i had been waiting ages so they invited me for an interview and i got ctc straight away .cb for me could take upto 26 weeks .they told me 12 but now i have passed 12 they say thats the first process the second is another 14 .i really dont know what they are doing that it should take so long.if you ring for cb they more or less tell you to get lost if you havent been waiting 12 weeks.

My sympathy is with you.
As a fellow member who's been proper let down by tax credit system.
Be very careful when dealing with them.
See the CAB and leave things in their hands...pay for only essential things with your wage and get CAB to write to others explaining that there will be a delay in payments because of circumstances.
I informed tax credits my child care costs had stopped on 1st Sept due to youngest son starting school...for some bizarre reason they then paid me almost 2K direct into my bank....on top of my "normal" 4 weekly payment...I telephoned and asked them why and they said "because you've had a change of circs" I said "but my money should have gone down as I'm not paying for child care anymore"...they said that the 2K payment was a "catch up" payment and that other payments had been spread out over the year...I telephoned another 4 times and each time I was told I was DEFINATLEY entitled to the money....4 times!!! Yahoo!! Went and bought new bedding for my little 2 as theirs was paper thin...made a dent in the Xmas shopping (5 kids and no child support from ex, Xmas is a worry)...etc.
THEN!!!!....I received an award through post saying I still had £66 a week child care costs..heart lurched, called TCO again...to be told that on their system it showed I had no child care costs BUT had incurred a 3K overpayment next April due to the fact they had incorrectly entered that I had afore mentioned child care costs when I called to cancel my child care element and that I had been paid them over a year rather than monthly (2K lumpsum + 3 payments including them added to my normal 4 weekly amount).
I am appealing now as I only have 1K left of the money after I was told 4 times it was mine to spend!
My MP is also involved....
CAB and your MP...and dont take anything the tax credits office say as gospel...it is manned by monkeys and 12 year olds!
Lou xx

To anyone reading this.

All other finances a side. If you earn less than 16K a year and work 30+ hours a week and are over 25 you are entitled to tax credits.

I found this out 2 weeks ago when I had a jobsworth at the job centre who was in favour of the people.

She worked out for me that at 34 earning £6 an hour and working 35 hours a week entitled me to £85.79 a WEEK extra.

So my advice to the OP would be to get googling/contacting and check it out!

Yes but I think that the point is you can only get child tax credits if you get the child benefit. I had the same problem when my ex up and left. Joint tax credits claim was stopped and I couldn't get the credits paid to me until I got the CB. I was out of work and the DWP just spent their time bullying me into reporting the ex to the CSA.
What was the point of that as she was on benefits ( oh and working cash in hand )

Hiya Lonelydad.
It is never easy claiming DLA as i am sure you are aware, i took 2 attempts myself to get an award.

I would strongly recommend that you make an appointment with your local Welfare Rights Office to receive some face to face advice from an expert Welfare Rights officer. Also many CAB offices have a Benefits Specialist who could give you some useful advice.

The DWP don't do anything quickly, it often seems that the system is designed to frustrate! The very best of luck.

Chris

Hello Chris again,

I am still awaiting to hear from DLA - I have written to them but I am not holding my breath - It took 4 months to hear from them about the original award!

I have recently spoken to CTC and C Benefit people and now have to send off daughters original birth certificate to CTC

I have managed to get STBX to sign a letter confirming that she is content for the benefits to be transferred to me and hope that will go some way to speeding up the whole process.

Cheers Mate