Why dont tax credits pay us direct!!!!

**christine e** · 17-06-2010, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by Hebs

Id rather not have the payments made direct to me, as if there is an overpayment id be responsible for paying it back.

Me too

Cx

**tashaleee** · 17-06-2010, 09:26 AM

It would be nice if there was a system in place where we could see who was claiming against our numbers though so we could report those who we dont care for.... I know I have had one in the past that I had a call about a year after I gave her notice - she was still claiming using my number! I had tried to ring them to say that care had ended but they couldnt have cared less!

**kindredspirits** · 17-06-2010, 11:29 AM

I agree with Hebs - tax credits sent me a letter last year saying we'd been overpaid by £4000!!

there is no way we had that amount of money coming in - they said they'd given us double payments for nearly a year. It's only because I keep paperwork and I wouldn't let the matter drop that they finally reduced the overpayment to nothing - it went down a bit at a time though, they thought they'd get to the point where I finally said oh its only £1000 i'll pay it.

I had to go to the ombardsman to finally sort it all out - it would be virtually impossible to do that on someone elses claim.

**margaret** · 17-06-2010, 01:38 PM

i had a call from tax credits two weeks ago at 0810 checking payments on two of my mindees and she assured me they are checking up big time ,but they need childminders to report their concerns and although they take all youre details they dont pass them on .get reporting instead of moaning,if more people did country wouldnt be in such a state

**Hebs** · 17-06-2010, 03:19 PM

Rubbish cos i rang up to tell them one of my parents stopped childcare and a year later they rang to find out how much i was being paid to care for them!

Its tax credits own fault for not following these calls up

**karen m** · 17-06-2010, 05:44 PM

i have had 3 parents in last 4 years not pay even though they openly admit they were claimg

**Monkey26** · 17-06-2010, 06:05 PM

I have always wanted to know who is claiming tax credits against my registration, is there a way we can find out?? I had a child leave last year owing me money and have suspected that they might still be claiming under me?! x

**LittleStar's** · 17-06-2010, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by margaret

i had a call from tax credits two weeks ago at 0810 checking payments on two of my mindees and she assured me they are checking up big time ,but they need childminders to report their concerns and although they take all youre details they dont pass them on .get reporting instead of moaning,if more people did country wouldnt be in such a state

Did you not read what i put earlier , you cannot report them , they are not interested . I have tried so now I will moan!

**Mouse** · 17-06-2010, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by margaret

i had a call from tax credits two weeks ago at 0810 checking payments on two of my mindees and she assured me they are checking up big time ,but they need childminders to report their concerns and although they take all youre details they dont pass them on .get reporting instead of moaning,if more people did country wouldnt be in such a state

Don't you think some of us have tried reporting these parents? I've been told that unless I have the parent's NI number there's nothing they can do. And even if I did have the number, they give the parents the benefit of the doubt & give them chance to phone up & admit themselves they've been overclaiming!

There wouldn't be much moaning if it was as easy as you seem to think it is

**carol cameron** · 17-06-2010, 07:01 PM

I totally agree that the system needs shaking up. When I first started childminding there was a form that the parent had to fill in about their childcare payments and then the childminder had to sign it to say they agreed. Bet there was less fraudulent claims under that system! I have had a phone call from the inland revenue checking up on a child that had left me 18 months before!!! Mum must have still been claiming under my number so I really hope she had to pay it all back.

**margaret** · 17-06-2010, 07:28 PM

Reference rubbish ,

one family is being taken to court for fraud another having to pay back 200.00 a month over next year ,not happy but she did know she had put down wrong figures over last year and admitted it. People arent always going to tell you that this is happening.

If people charged in advance they wouldnt be so much out of pocket,harsh i know but we are running a business not a free service.

I think everyone has to be given the benefit of the doubt, the paperwork for child tax credits is quite daunting -- its a bit like childminders doing their tax returns - i know they dont all do it correctly,but i will shut up before "war"!! is declared on me !! im not that bad just truthful and truth sometimes hurts

**Mouse** · 17-06-2010, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by margaret

Reference rubbish ,

one family is being taken to court for fraud another having to pay back 200.00 a month over next year ,not happy but she did know she had put down wrong figures over last year and admitted it. People arent always going to tell you that this is happening.

If people charged in advance they wouldnt be so much out of pocket,harsh i know but we are running a business not a free service.

I think everyone has to be given the benefit of the doubt, the paperwork for child tax credits is quite daunting -- its a bit like childminders doing their tax returns - i know they dont all do it correctly,but i will shut up before "war"!! is declared on me !! im not that bad just truthful and truth sometimes hurts

I don't know why you would think war would be declared on you as quite frankly, I don't understand what you're saying!

A parent I have is deliberatley claiming too much money for childcare - she has admitted as much & has told me that she still plans to claim after her child has finished with me as "it's not worth phoning up to tell tax credits". It has nothing to do with "daunting paperwork", she is very clever at working the system. She doesn't actually work, but still claims childcare costs.

I always take payment in advance. This parent has always paid me in full, on time. It doesn't make it right

I have tried phoning tax credits, but they're not interested

onceinabluemoon · 17-06-2010, 08:17 PM

I reported somebody who claimed using my number. They took loads of details and did listen to what I had to say but no idea if they did anything or not...

**Zoomie** · 18-06-2010, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Mouse

"it's not worth phoning up to tell tax credits"

This is actually a load of ******* cos parents have to phone / fill in form for their tax credits to be renewed each year, otherwise it stops.

Not having a go at you, but parents really have no excuses

aly · 18-06-2010, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by margaret

Reference rubbish ,

one family is being taken to court for fraud another having to pay back 200.00 a month over next year ,not happy but she did know she had put down wrong figures over last year and admitted it. People arent always going to tell you that this is happening.

If people charged in advance they wouldnt be so much out of pocket,harsh i know but we are running a business not a free service.

I think everyone has to be given the benefit of the doubt, the paperwork for child tax credits is quite daunting -- its a bit like childminders doing their tax returns - i know they dont all do it correctly,but i will shut up before "war"!! is declared on me !! im not that bad just truthful and truth sometimes hurts

yesthey are takento court as they are checking up with childcarers....we aschildminders have rung them and said this person isclaiming this that and the other, but tc are not interested...so you saying we should be doing this that and other is rubbish asothers have said...WE HAVE TRIED.

if people are being taken to court then serves their right....as someone said like everyone else who claims {me for instance} We have an annual declaration to fill in, if they will it in wrong then they only have themselves toblame if they are caught.

Originally Posted by JoJoGiggles

I have always wanted to know who is claiming tax credits against my registration, is there a way we can find out??

Unfortunately no,Itried this when 1person left me

**Mouse** · 18-06-2010, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by Zoomie

This is actually a load of ****** cos parents have to phone / fill in form for their tax credits to be renewed each year, otherwise it stops.

Not having a go at you, but parents really have no excuses

Exactly! I got mum to sign a form to say the child is finishing wil me on X date & that's it's her responsibility to inform tax credits. She signed the form but said she wouldn't bother phoning them because she might need childcare again in the near future (not with me), so it was a waste of time getting it changed

On top of it all, mum doesn't actually work, but still claims childcare costs

I did phone tax credits, but they said they can't do anything if I don' know the mum's NI number. She's just renewed her claim for this year, so it'll be another year before she has to do it again.

**Zoomie** · 18-06-2010, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by Mouse

On top of it all, mum doesn't actually work, but still claims childcare costs

Don't know how they actually manage this cos years ago, DH was out of work for a few months. Tax credits still paid us, but not the childcare element (as both parents have to be working 16+ hours). Childminder cost us a fortune, but I didn't understand at the time.

**Mouse** · 18-06-2010, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Zoomie

Don't know how they actually manage this cos years ago, DH was out of work for a few months. Tax credits still paid us, but not the childcare element (as both parents have to be working 16+ hours). Childminder cost us a fortune, but I didn't understand at the time.

Mum told them she was self employed & working full time, which she was for a short while. It meant she got full chilcare costs paid. She then stopped working, but kept herself registered as self-employed - no way to prove she wasn't actually doing any work & was spending all her time shopping

**Hebs** · 18-06-2010, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by onceinabluemoon

I reported somebody who claimed using my number. They took loads of details and did listen to what I had to say but no idea if they did anything or not...

i did this gave them all the details (her name address, kids names etc) and a year later they rang to ask how much she was currently paying

i let rip telling her i had informed them a year earlier that they'd stopped coming

**The Juggler** · 18-06-2010, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by Hebs

i did this gave them all the details (her name address, kids names etc) and a year later they rang to ask how much she was currently paying

i let rip telling her i had informed them a year earlier that they'd stopped coming

well let's see if this new gov't can actually do something about this fraud - they are just letting it happen. some more on the ball staff and money to investigate reports might be a start