Working Tax Credit

[scotty123456789]

Hi,

Im after opinions from those who have or are claiming working tax credit.

My wife arrived in january and I made an application for tax credit at the beginning of feb.

About a month later I recieved a letter stating they cant continue the application without her N I number.

Now I have spoken to the right department regarding a N I number for my wife, and they said, they cannot issue her with one until we show them proof that my wife has been looking for work, fair enough.

I wrote back to tax credit explaining the above, no reply.

Another month or so and still no joy, so I called them, the trouble is you can never get through, always waiting in line.

I mannaged to get through to them and asked them what was happening, we are arranging an appointment for your wife regarding her N I number they said, fair enough again.

My wife still did not recieve a letter/call about this appointment, so on the blower again.

Since all this my wife has recieved a letter from a certain hotel refusing her job interview.

I called them again and explained that I will arrange for my wife wife to attend the job centre plus regarding the N I number as we now have proof she has been looking for work.

No its ok we shall make the appointmaent they said.

well guess what still no response, anyone out there had a similer experience regarding this, its been over three months now.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Its a similer experience of waiting in line to get your passport stamped at Bkk airport, way too long

[Templer]

Hi Scotty

I had asimilar problem,

They did not instist that she was looking for work,

but I had to push all the way

It took me 4 months before we got an interview,

Go in person to the Job centre Plus and ask there,

Thats where the interview takes place,

and even then it took a good 6 weeks before we were in the system,

Once she has the NI number ring the tax credit office

Then be patient,

totaly ineffiecent system,

drove me crazy being pushed from department to department until

you get someone who knows what they are talking about.

Good Luck

Templer

[Brigante7]

Hi Scotty, I had the exact same problem, our son was born last September and I applied for working family's tax credits in my name only because my wife is here on a limited leave to remain visa, and as such is not entitled to any public funds, and like you got the letter telling me she had to have a NI number and so I phoned them and what is meant to happen is that when you phone them up, the person you speak to is meant to send a letter to you with a date for an interview at your nearest job centre plus and at the same time send a letter to the job centre plus informing them of the interview. What happened to me was that the person I spoke to when I first phoned up didn't do that and so everything got screwed up and we had to wait 7 months from first applying to getting an interview and then my wife got her NI number in 5 days then I phoned the tax credit office again and gave them the NI number and now the claim has gone through and we are waiting on the money coming through which should be back dated to September.

From start to finish, it is meant to take no more than 3 months, LOL, yeah right.

Good luck mate and stick in there and don't give up

Brigante7

P.S. your wife doesn't need to be seeking a job to get a NI number, my wife wasn't, we were asked why she wanted the number, for a job or to claim benefits and I said benefits and was told no problem. Seems it's a different process depending on what you want the number for.

[mangojuice]

If your wife actually gets a job without a NI number and you tell the job centre they have to give a 'temporary' emergency NI number,this,you will find is a permanent one.Although I havnt got one for my wife,I did ring them and they grudgingly confirmed that that was the case.M.

[mariner29]

I found it was a quick process around 4 weeks for appointment.

[Guest Bellini]

I find this subject of “working tax credit” in the UK fascinating and wonder if I understand it correctly. Is this how it works?

- Husband works and pays tax on his income.

- Wife does not work.

- Husband claims working tax credit.

- The government pays husband money because his wife does not work

How much money does the government pay? Is it a monthly payment? Can anybody apply for it, or only if the husband’s income is below a certain minimum?

Is there a website where I can read up about it?

[mrbojangles]

It's a bit more complex than that Bellini. And i'm not too sure about it but i think it is there to help pay towards childcare so that the parents can go back to work. But maybe someone else can explain better.

Is there a website where I can read up about it?

This might be useful

http://www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk...TaxCredits.aspx

Edited May 13, 2008 by mrbojangles

[scotty123456789]

Well I have heard from tax credit.

THe letter said they could not process my application for working tax credit because my wife has not got a N I number.

They went on to say, we have informed our local job centre where an appointment would be made.

A couple of days after I recieved the letter, my wife recieved a letter with her appointment, next week.

Well as soon as she gets her N I number I have to let tax credit know, where they will back date all my money, nearly 4 months .

They also said they maybe back date it a further 93 days, dont know what for, and dont realy care.

I believe but I maybe wrong, that anyone can claim working tax credit as long as your wife is unemployed, and you have an income of less than 15k per year.

Im expecting £41 per week, which is back dated for nearly 4 months and maybe back dated a further 93 days, so I should get a nice check shortly.

The tax credit is paid weekly into my bank account.

Scotty....

[caledonia]

It's a bit more complex than that Bellini. And i'm not too sure about it but i think it is there to help pay towards childcare so that the parents can go back to work. But maybe someone else can explain better.

Is there a website where I can read up about it?

This might be useful

http://www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk...TaxCredits.aspx

There are two different Tax Credits - Working tax Credits and Child Tax Credits.

Child Tax Credits are indeed to help with raising children and meant to ensure every family in Britain has a certain amount a week to live off ( a long forgotten promise of the then chancellor Mr Brown - when bread was less than a pound!!)

Working tax Credits are for anyone on a low income over the age of 25 - or any age if you have children. Nothing to do with married couples and not to serve to allow women to sit at home and not work.

A single person over 25 can claim Working tax Credits as can a couple who both work and have no children.

Not too bad really - labour have did some good things I guess -