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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
Posted - 28/05/2008 : 20:02:37
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>>And this morning my SAR info came, in a jiffy bag with a bit of sellotape across the seal. This would appear to be quite secure and high-tech in comparison with how others' information has arrived <<
Looks like you're getting preferential treatment to me. How did you wangle that??
Apathy rules OK - so why do I bother? |
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Willow
Rank; Hector Tax Inspector
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 29/05/2008 : 15:42:46
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I have no idea but I feel almost blessed to have been given such preferential treatment.
Ok, so having had a look at the SAR paperwork I can see from the summary pages that our daughter did indeed exist and we were responsible for her from when she was born up until the date I told them about our stepdaughter moving in. The DOR changes from her actual date of birth to the date that I told them our stepdaughter moved in. AND I can see on the screenshots of the household notes that the call I made is there.
So what do I do with this info now? Make copies and send it with a letter to who? Which department? (and I will be sending another complaint letter as a matter of course) Any advice gratefully received - and I'm still waiting to hear that the Appeals Team have received my written appeal, and am not expecting anyone to get back to me about my complaint (which they are supposed to do by June 2nd) so will be doing another complaint letter about the lack of action over my complaint. And I'll copy it all to my MP. What else should I be doing please?
I'm also still trying to get to speak to someone at the CAB regarding the fact that we had Final Decision notices for years that had been finalised. |
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Willow
Rank; Hector Tax Inspector
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
 Posted - 30/05/2008 : 18:47:12
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| Sorry, i'm here agin - I've not been able to get through to anyone, nor have had confirmation, other than from an operator in a phone call on May 10th, that my written appeal has been received. This is surely not a good thing? |
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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2008 : 19:33:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Willow
Sorry, i'm here agin - I've not been able to get through to anyone, nor have had confirmation, other than from an operator in a phone call on May 10th, that my written appeal has been received. This is surely not a good thing?
Aye, it's a bugger.
As far as the CAB is concerned, I would have been very surprised if you had been able to get through to them by telephone. The only way I was ever able to arrange anything with them was to go in person & wait in line. This is not intended as a criticism of the CAB which is staffed by volunteers, but just an observation.
As for HMRC; I've always said that a telephone conversation isn't worth the paper that it's written on so, in your position I think I'd be writing to HMRC something along the lines of; "Further to the telephone conversation between myself and your representative xxxx which took place on May 10th 08, I now write to confirm that from that telephone conversation it is my understanding that my written appeal has been received at your office.
Unless I hear from you to the contrary within the next 28 days, I shall "reasonably" assume that this is indeed the case."
As always when dealing with this bunch of bandits, sent it Recorded Delivery & keep a copy for yourself.
There, that's about all I can think of right now - except for the bottle of Broon beckoning me from the fridge!
Apathy rules OK - so why do I bother? |
Edited by - Alan the Geordie on 30/05/2008 19:39:26 |
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Willow
Rank; Hector Tax Inspector
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2008 : 08:14:14
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Many thanks Alan - I am indeed aware that I should sent everything recorded and keep copies and that phone calls are worth nothing but many thanks for reiterating that. I was interested to know how to word this so that's really helpful. My MP has been contacted and asked to contact TCO and get them to stop any recovery of monies whilst the appeal is investigated. Although he has responded quickly what he has done is passed the buck and I quote, "You will be pleased to know I have raised this matter with the Chancellor, Alistair Darling, who is responsible for the Tax Credit System. I will contact you again as soon as I have received a substantive response."
Not what I wanted but here goes another letter to him this morning. |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2008 : 21:25:23
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If that's a Nu Labour MP, raising this with the Chancellor is quite dramatic by their usual standards, as this is flagging up that there is a problem with the system. Maybe they are cottoning on at last to the fact that the electorate's rejection of Nu Labour is basically because they have sold the poor down the river in every conceivable way. Maybe here is an MP who wants your vote? Good luck.
Trinity: The answer is out there… and it's looking for you, and it will find you if you want it to.
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familytaxcredit
Forum Admin
371 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2008 : 22:12:22
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Sorry cab workers..you are indeed a waste of space, you work for nothing, the government pay for your office...you are indeed a complete waste of tax payers money. You lot coy down to any government directive, you will not commit to take the government on any dodgy issues, in effect you lot are in government pockets..Go on deny it!
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familytaxcredit
Forum Admin
371 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2008 : 22:21:34
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| I used to pay reg in their 'funds box' not far from my house..now I would spit in it. They are not on 'your side' They work for nu labour and funds go to them..They will not help, though they will seem to be sympathetic. Take on the government, you are taking on the cab..they work together, simple. It does not take Einstein to realise, the resourses cab have, yet still no test case...cummon cab are in the government pocket |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2008 : 06:52:59
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FTC, I think they are like very individual Nu Labour MPs - as individuals they will (insert 'sometimes' in Nu Labour's case) do their best to help you, but politically their hands are tied; they can't and won't use the info that comes their way to challenge the status quo. Nu Labour want to toe the party line, and the party line is that tax credits are all sorted now, and need defending from Opposition and the disgruntled public who are - they think - hell-bent on scrapping them. From what you say I imagine CAB workers are just encouraged to treat each case as someone falling through the net of a system which is basically sound. In that respect, the unions seem to adopt that same stance, as they can see the problems with tax credits, I am sure, but would rather have a Nu Labour government than a Tory one - which seems to me where we are heading. But rather than berate the CAB for having to keep quiet about the macro problems whilst dealing daily with the micro stuff, I think we just have to accept that they do help individual claimants but are more like a paracetamol than a cancer-curing treatment. Often CAB workers are invaluable at a local level, like some Nu Labour MPs who will accept 'this is a bad case of tax credits gone wrong' but not that 'this is typical of tax credits and how they let poorer families down'.
I don't want to disparage individual CAB workers for the constraints of their role - that they apparently can't 'get political'. There have been some useful CAB studies and reports - ignored by government like all the rest, of course - but they have done their bit, under the circumstances in which they must work, in my view.
Trinity: The answer is out there… and it's looking for you, and it will find you if you want it to.
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Willow
Rank; Hector Tax Inspector
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2008 : 09:09:50
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My local MP is actually Conservative. I have written to thank him for his conversation with AD and have reiterated my request for him to intervene on my behalf and ask TCO not to pursue the overpayment until my appeal has been investigated.
As for the extended discussion about the CAB - any voluntary organisation that relies on Gov funding is indeed in their back pocket. In a previous life I was a volunteer manager and I don't think that the discussion should wander into the territory of examining why individuals choose to give their time freely to help/assist others, as the reasons are many and varied and I am completely aware that individual circumstances and motivation differ greatly. However, sometimes you have to use what you have at your disposal. I have been pointed towards the CAB and if that avenue does not work I will have to consider another route to finding out whether the TCO should have opened and re-finalised 2 previously finalsied awards. I'm also interested to know why on my summaries there is an ALERT next to my name...... |
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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2008 : 12:09:14
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>>However, sometimes you have to use what you have at your disposal.<<
The term "making best endeavours" is one I'm particularly fond of. Yes, we would like things to be perfect - and in a perfect world they would be - but this world is full of people and people just aren't perfect - although Geordies come quite close! - so as our Friend Willow says we just have to use what's available/on offer. We make our Best Endeavours and that's the all that can reasonably be expected of us. 
As for Willow having ALERT next to her name, I think this could well be a reference to the fact of what she is - she's a bright lass, a member of TCC and she's ALERT to the incompetence and shenanigans that go on in the crazy world of HMRC Tax Credits!!  
Apathy rules OK - so why do I bother? |
Edited by - Alan the Geordie on 01/06/2008 12:10:21 |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2008 : 19:16:55
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Lol, ever the charmer, Alan! Who was it said, 'Be Alert - Britain needs Lerts'?
Trinity: The answer is out there… and it's looking for you, and it will find you if you want it to.
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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2008 : 22:16:35
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>> Lol, ever the charmer, Alan!<<
It's a Geordie thing Bonny lass!
"Get yer t*ts oot f' th' lads!!" |
Edited by - Alan the Geordie on 01/06/2008 22:18:15 |
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familytaxcredit
Forum Admin
371 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2008 : 23:58:10
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| I was a bit blunt, some of the people whom work for cab are really superb and will help all they can. But its about time someone stood up and really threw the **** at the fan |
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familytaxcredit
Forum Admin
371 Posts |
Posted - 02/06/2008 : 00:09:45
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| cab is owned by nu labour..it is bollox/bull****/ cab are in fact in nu labour pockets...It is really worthless. The cab will only direct in matters which nu labour dictates. Take a look at their forum, they continuously bang their heads against a brick wall. They have not ever ever taken the government to task, sure the ordinary advisors moan, but the bodies above do nothing..never. They can't |
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Willow
Rank; Hector Tax Inspector
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2008 : 10:32:58
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Quick update - no reply to my last letter to MP thanking him for talking to Alistair darling but again requesting that he be more pro-active and contact the TCO on my behalf whilst my appeal is investigated. Not been able to get to a surgery yet but working on it....
Letter sent to the adress of the Notices to Pay asking them to halt all action as case is under appeal - no reply.
Wrote to Gordon Brown, Alistair Darling and Jane Kennedy about my case.
Went to CAB and talked to an advisor who couldn't see what he could do to help ("I know it's frustarting but you just have to let the beaurocrats do their job. Go home and don't worry too much...") but who agreed to write a letter about my as yet non-response to my Complaint that should have been responded to by the TCo by June 2nd - 'cos they said they would..... |
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Alan the Geordie
Da Purple one
2787 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2008 : 11:14:32
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Well done Willow.
You're doing all the right things. I have to say I'm a bit disappointed with your CAB.
As far as your MP is concerned I would keep the pressure on him/her. You may not be his/her only constituent, but right now you are the most important - that's the mindset that you need to adopt anyway.
Our unelected leader did make (another) promise a little while ago. He promised that he would "listen". Well, you have written to him and if he's at all sincere about his promise, then he should reply to you. If he does not - which I suspect to be the case - then that's another worthless promise from a worthless man in my view and further reinforces my belief that he is a Lying Scotsman!
Get the media - and your MP - onto this. Let them know that the man who promised to listen is still deaf in one ear & can't hear with the other!!
I'm becoming more & more convinced that the way to win this is by MP's involvement and publicity.
"Dave Anderson (Labour) MP for Blaydon rocks!!" |
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Ali M-W
Da Tech(y ones)
3296 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2008 : 21:44:27
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That's a good suggestion, Alan - writing to our MPs.
Here's a sample letter we could adapt - mostly robbed from our Webmaster's recent newsletter:
Dear -
I am writing to you to make sure you know about the launch this week of our booklet 'Voices of the Victims'. You will perhaps know that this
booklet, giving a sample of about 40 overpayment victims' stories, has been produced to give those unaffected a better insight into the problems caused by the Tax Credit system, and the tragedies that occur in overpayment victims lives.
I hope you will download a copy of 'Voices of the Victims', in PDF format, from our website: http://www.taxcc.org/voices.htm , as I am sure you cannot fail to be moved by the stories, which are not 'cherry-picked' but are very typical of the devastation we experience and hear about from other Casualties every day.
I hope, now you are aware of the Tax Credit Casualties group to which I belong, that you will support us in the future, and help us achieve a safer, fairer tax credit system where poor families are no longer expected to make good the taxman's mistakes.
Please do let your other affected constituents know about the existence of Tax Credit Casualties. We are not just a campaign group. We offer overpayment victims support, advice and a roadmap through the complete HMRC dispute process. We are the only organisation who do this.
Many MPs are finding that more and more of their office's time is being spent on constituents Tax Credit problems, and we are approaching the time when yet more annual overpayment bills are issued by HMRC - which means a resultant rise in your workload.
Hopefully, the Tax Credit Casualties can give you some help. I hope you will consider publicising our services, which are free, to your constituents who have problems with Tax Credit overpayments which do not yet require the intervention of their MP, as well as to people whom you may be helping who feel they would like some peer support from others in a similar, desperate situation. A link to our website from your own would be welcomed. Our website can be found at www.TaxCC.org . Thousands of victims have found the Tax Credit Casulaties to be a 'beacon in the storm', not only giving them advice and support, but empowering them to carry out their own disputes with HMRC, at every stage of the process.
Thank you for your support.
......
On behalf of the Tax Credit Casualties
www.TaxCC.org
Trinity: The answer is out there… and it's looking for you, and it will find you if you want it to.
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Willow
Rank; Hector Tax Inspector
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 13/06/2008 : 08:36:22
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Fear not, I've not relinquished my pressure on my MP, just taking a breather this week! I'll take a copy of that letter and put it in with the copies of letter sent to GB.
The advisor at CAB wasn't totally unhelpful, and has written as he promised, but I feel that had I been less well informed (by your good selves) and less able to write a coherent letter then they might have been a bit more proactive. At the end of the day I guess their energies are concentrated on those who really need more advocative (is that a word?) help.
He was quite interested in my having received Final Decision Notices more than 12 months after the year end, which I did try and big up, but again, the response kind of fell a little short. Maybe a crying pregnant woman is all part of a days work and holds no kudos anymore. In fact I did try not to cry but it's impossible.
Everyone here at TCC is my greatest support I have to say. Even my partner thinks I'm being overly dramatic and that everything will be sorted out nice and easily. I'm more cynical. Thanks to everyone here - I'd be in a much worse place without your support. |
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Willow
Rank; Hector Tax Inspector
United Kingdom
56 Posts |
Posted - 16/06/2008 : 10:24:09
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Another update:
My partner and I have this morning received a further demand for the overpayment of £12500.
I called the number on THAT demand to be told that no appeal was logged on the system (despite being told it had on two separate occasions when I called the TCO Helpline - no surprise there then) but that my complaint was. The operator I spoke to told me that she has put a note on my notes to suspend the case for 6 weeks as I was adamant with her that I had been told the appeal had been received on 21st April.
I have a local reporter on the case who should be contacting me this morning.
Any advice on what to do now?
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New & Concerned....
