Has anyone else come across this? I would appreciate thoughts....

I have a Polish client who has been in UK for sometime, had been claiming WTC and CTC. These stopped and she has now found work again and has claimed again. However now the TO are saying that for every claim for a Polish national they need to write to Polish authorities to confirm that no benefits are in payment there. Only equivilent benefits in Poland are CHB which is very small and a reduced payment of Income Tax if you have children. The Polish authorities surprise surprise are taking an age to get back to TO and I have been told today that it is not uncommon for it to take months to get claim into payment.

This just sounds unreasonable to me, my client is expected to support herself and child on wages from 16 hours a week minimum wage for months until TC's get sorted.

I undertstand this is a new policy and wonder if anyone else has come across it and whether there is any way to speed things up.

Thanks

Hi

This was mentioned just before Christmas at one of the Tax Credit Consultation Group meetings in relation to Child Benefit, but it sounds like the same thing.

Previously, I believe TC/CB were put into payment when in fact HMRC should have been checking with the Member States. So the new process is to write out to the original Member State.

It has caused lots of delays for Child Benefit as well.

Does your client have any children still in Poland?

Victoria

Nope, no children left in Poland. Her only child was born here in UK and she has claimed TC previously. Just doesnt seem right that she is going to have to wait months to get enough money to live on.

I must admit that I thought that it was only where the children were still in the other country, but from what you say it sounds like it is all cases where the parents have come from another EU state.

I shall send a question through the consultation group to see if we can clarify with HMRC when they write to the other countries.

I also agree with you re the time it takes.

I will post as soon as I have an answer.

Victoria

Charlie

I have asked HMRC for a list of when they will request information from other EU countries (and therefore where it is likely to cause a delay) and they have provided that to me.

Shawn has added it to the Inside Track section:
http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/toolkit_1059-9108-29938.html

Victoria