Terms & Conditions

[Anonymous]

I have heard that people who have not received their Tax Credits as yet are able to go into their local tax office to get interim payments.

Does anyone know anything about this and is their any guidance on how we take these payments into account as I seem to have missed it?

[Anonymous]

I have just spoken to one of our local offices. They have confirmed that they are issuing payments (of upto 5 weeks money) to people who may have already had their award letters, those who have not had their award letters but their award has been determined and those where their award has not been calculated yet (in certain circumstances they will work out the person’s award and make payment)!

Does anyone have any information on how we are to deal with this for HB/CTB purposes?

[peterdelamothe]

I wrote to DWP to point out:

some customers are receiving payments before the decision letters

some provisional awards are being made direct into bank account which bear no relation to the actual awards

local Inland Revenue offices are handing out individual giros to desperate customers.

DWP advised: “We are already aware that this is occurring and are considering how best to tell LAs to deal with it”.

What we don’t know is what happens next. Will these interim payments be deducted from this years awards? If so, when? Are these payments voluntary, part of the award, repayable loans or what? I know HB is supposed to take into account all sources of income but until these issues are clarified, I do not see how this can be appropriate.

[Karen]

and they said that Tax Credits were going to be easier than Pension Credits :13::13::13:

can’t wait until October!!

[Anonymous]

Yes it is true — the IR are amking interim payments to people who walk in and provided they match the details on the computer the IR staff will make an interim payment — some IR staff are not very happy. As to income I would take this as income from monday follwing receipt but the calculation of a weekly sum is not easy!!

[Anonymous]

I have received the follwoing advice from DWP in relation to interim payments:

“Thank you for your email to John Kennett regarding tax credits. I am replying on his behalf as I am responsible for the treatment of tax credits in HB/CTB.

We are aware that some claimants are receiving payments of tax credits either through their bank account or by way of a girocheque, without an award notice detailing what the payments are for. These payments are not to be taken into account as income until you are shown an award notice. All you can do is advise your claimants to notify you as soon as they receive an award notice and then action any overpayment as in circular S3/03. 

Due to a number of similar enquiries we are issuing a note of advice in the next issue of Housing Benefit Direct. Guidance on other issues is also due this week in the form of Amendment 8 to the Handbook”

[Author]

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