Been paid my tax credits for the month and they've gone down by £135. Was already worried about money and now this. I know it's money from the government and I should be grateful for whatever I get and I am, but we really relied on that money and now i'm stressing about how we're going to get by. I'm not really in a position to get a job at the moment but looks like I'll be getting something as soon as baby is born.

Sorry this is a bit of a pointless thread but just had to get my frustration out.

Oh no I really still dont understand how they work it out?!
I havnt got renewal pack either, do i have to ring them?

I really don't understand it either as the last paperwork i had said they would only drop by £20 a month, but i guess with the new budget it's changed.
I think the renewal packs can take up till june to be sent out. If you have the right figures you can call and renew over the phone. Thats what i did this year and will be doing today. it's a lot easier.

edit - just rung up and they wont let you renew on the phone till you have your renewal pack which may take till june 30th

I really don't know much about how wtc work but could it be due to the new tax allowance that your oh may take home more pay and wtc have accounted for this?

Oh yes could be I hadn't thought of that. It's all a bit confusing. I will look at his payslip tonight.

oh hun i hope you get it sorted maybe its just till they get the renewal sorted xx

oh man what a nightmare!!! i am so worried about this because a) i dont trust tax credits at all and b) like you we really rely on that money too - i know what you mean about being grateful but tbh part of us planning a baby was based on figures they gave us and then changed!!!

i didnt get a renewal pack, just a letter telling us we wont be geting one as we earn too much now...
i dont get how they work it out either

Well i finally got through to them and it seems they have worked it out wrong for last year as they have confused Matt's pay rise and put us down for earning £3000 more than we did, but I can't change that till our renewal pack comes through. Which I think it ridiculous, surely it would be a lot easier for people to just phone up with their figures as soon as possible, cause now they are going to underpay for at least 2months and have to reinburse us. Silly system.

ugh that's terrible - maybe you will get a bit of a lump sum at the end though once your renewal has gone through (hoping we will cos we didn't get ours backdated for the 3 months it took to go through last year) - at least that will sort your finances out again

Hopefully we'll get a lump sum, as we got that last year when they've calculated the previous year wrong (do they ever get it right?)

Quote :

(do they ever get it right?)

i dunno, i deeply distrust them!

I was thinking £135 is alot to loose, does seem stupid they won't take your info until you get the pack!
Here's hoping it's not a massive loss when they do sort it out!

You have to be so careful with them as they really are just plain idiots! I ended up having to pay money back a few years back and it screwed everything up!

Well im glad it was wrong and you dont loose that money but thats crap they cant juts sort it out now xx

It really is a silly system.

That sucks they overpaid and you had to pay it back. That happened to my bro &sis in law.

I had my child tax credits completey from march and i still had 2 months of maternity which is only £530 a month lol. I need to stort these plonkers out too.

Congrats on baby boy anyway,
Char