What is the effect of the migration of child additions from IS to CTC wrt backdated claims of IS for refugees applying within 28 days of their decision? Strikes me that as time goes on this provision will become less and less useful for refugee families as the amount of their NASS support will be more than their IS app amount as the difference would now be made up by CTC. As far as I know their is no equivalent mesaure for backdating CTC but if someone tells me different I will be a happy bunny.

Single people will obviously not be affected, which seems strange with all the pro family rhetoric from the government. I know there is talk of dropping the provision altogether from IS, maybe the above is the government's way of removing the measure by stealth?

Any thoughts?

Tax Credits (Immigration) Regulations 2003 (SI.No.653) provide for backdating of TCs for refugees

see Immigration status and the new tax credits: New statutory instrument

Thanks for that Shawn, I feel a lot better now.

But isn't this a really odd state of affairs? Within a matter of days the government tells the Sun that they are closing the 'loophole' of backdated claims for IS for refugees yet introduces new regs for equivalent measures for Child Benefit and Tax Credits.

Sorry, just had another thought. Are there equivalent provisions for Pension Credit yet?

mmm ... don't think so ?

new CPAG handbook says (p.666) - "At the time of writing there are no regulations available on the backdating of PC. However the Act does provide power for backdating and it is the DWP's intention to draft legislation in similar terms to that of IS."

On further thinking I suppose the regs aren't really needed at present. You can get PC backdated as far as October 03 anyway and prior to that you are still covered by the IS reg.

However, I can't quite work out how you will make a backdated IS claim for a pensioner as MIG forms will no longer be suplied. In Jobcentre Plus areas you can't get hold of A1 forms any more either. The only think I can think of is to add it in the further info section when you get the PC form to sign. Anyone got any better ideas?