Tax credit advice needed

[Binksy2012]

I was claiming tax credits as a single applicant with 5children. I have now phoned up to add my partner on to my claim to do a joint application and he also has a disability. They re calculated our entitlement and explained that I would get my final payment as a single applicant this Friday. It will take 3weeks for the claim forms to come to me and then another 3weeks for them to process my application. For a total of 6 weeks and possibly more I will have no tax credits at all, this is a big problem for me as we live on this money week by week. I work full time but my earnings only just cover my rent council tax and important bills. I don't know what I will do for the basics like food gas electric for the next 6or more weeks, does anyone have any advice?? Thanks

[Kristal53]

you can make a claim directly over the telephone or get a form from your local HMIR office

[cathfromsaron]

i have never found changes take THAT long! ca'tn you live on your joint wages alone for a few weeks?

[Binksy2012]

well this is just what i was told today that the form will take up to three weeks to come to me and then three weeks for them to process. my partner does not work he got made redundant last year. i get paid the end of every month and all the bills and direct debits come out of that, we are left with no spare cash what so ever for food gas and electric, and running of the car, thats what we would use the tax credits for. i said to the lady on the phone what am i supposed to do with nomoney until the new entitlement starts, she said there is nothing they can do about that.

[bednobs]

you need to contact all the people you have mentioned above and tell them you will have trouble paying, possibly for the next six weeks. Work out what is absolutely essential (i would say rent and food but i guess you will have your own priorities) and what can be put off for a few weeks (gas, electric, water, ct etc)

[dotty.]

it shouldn't take 3 weeks and usually when reporting a change you don't need to fill in another form until the new award year I think.

[fairycakes69]

We had the same problem along with alot of others when they first introduced the tax credits, long story short, We just got in touch with everyone that got paid weekly ie- gas, electric, rent and council tax and explained what was happening and said as soon as the payments came through could we pay then. Everyone was very helpful as we had informed them and not just stopped paying.

[karenmac60]

Just make sure if your partner also had a single claim that it is cancelled too. I was never told that I couldn't end my husband's claim when I ended my own and put in for a joint claim. It dragged on for months with no one telling me his claim had not been ended and this was why it was why the new claim hadn't gone through. 5 years and many disputes later we are having to shell out 1200 quid since they say they didn't make a mistake - added to the fact I got no money for months from them (mr mac is terrible with money and didn't even realise he was still getting payments)

[caila25]

hi i had the same problem when my partner moved in but from jan 2011 to april 2011 i had no tax credits and had to wait 4 weeks for jsa to come through, the only thing i can advise is if your getting any benefits from dole u may qualify for a crisis loan. hope this helps