www.iva.co.uk

My goodness it's been a nightmare two weeks. Variation meeting set up for 27th Oct so I hope that goes OK in respect to the payment break.

After the redundancy, I've spent an inordinate amount of time on the phone, filling in forms etc. and running around in circles trying to sort out the whole horrid mess. My ex-boss didn't give me the correct instructions on my redundancy claim and it's now been sent to the wrong place, marvellous. He also botched up my NI number, not sure what those repercussions will be, if any. I've been to the job centre, signed on, yet no Entitlement to Benefit letter is forthcoming (or money). Tax Credits advised to wait for that til I make a claim, Job Centre supposedly sending me a form to forward onto Tax Credits - phoned today and guess what? No log of any such thing. Phoned Tax Credits, they are updating their system so can't log a claim direct with them either, not that they can do anything proper without this E to B letter to make a correct calculation - which also means I can't put in a mortgage PPI claim (they won't accept my Jobseekers signing on book as evidence). Maternity disputes team didn't receive my full fax so I've had to post it out to them. Unfortunately each claim has a knock-on effect with the other so that's probably not going to help matters.

To say it's frustrating is an understatement, sitting in limbo not knowing if/when any money will trickle in is awful. Time to start some serious ebaying I think, not that I have anything of value to sell!

Lemsip, how awful for you! What a nightmare of a time when you could do without all of this!!

Fingers crossed for the 27th, hopefully you can get things sorted then.

lemsip - the jobcentre can issue you a letter confirming you have made a claim to benefit but your claim has yet to be processed !

Tax credits can be applied for on-line (Jobcentre are not involved in any HMRC tax credit query and do not stock the forms).

Persevere - it will all come right in the end !

Hi and thanks - I need a proper letter to action the payment protection thing but will apply for tax credits online and hope it submits properly! Job centre said they could fill their details in a form and send to me to finish off and forward to tax credits. The woman I initially spoke to was a complete numpty and really got my back up so perhaps I should have disregarded her witterings!!!

Has your insurance company not supplied you with a form for them to complete - sometimes called an ABI 1 form?
Go back in and ask to speak to the Processing section - or their phone number should be on the back of your signing book - they should be able to arrange for a letter to be done by post !

Hi Lulu

Yes I have a form to complete, however I have to attach the Entitlement To Benefit letter in addition to the form being completed. Such a laborious process. And a contract of employment or termination letter - I have never received either of those so I've requested my ex-boss types up some termination explanation letter, I'm sure that will suffice. I can always send them the letter from the IP as well.

The IP has now got in touch, I will be unlikely to see any redundancy related monies until mid November at the earliest. What a joke, I don't even want to tell my hubby, I think he'll have a fit!

I can't apply online for Tax Credits as it's not a renewal, just scrabbling some paperwork and calling them today, didn't realise they were open Saturdays

keep pushing forward with this ... your benefit should be processed an in payment within a fortnight of your claim date - I would ring them every day it isn't - as soon as they process your claim the letter will automatically be generated and come out to you - take a copy of it before sending it off as you may need it again in the future !
Tax credits - always used to be able to claim on line for a new claim so they have clearly changed their process - sorry !

Lemsip
just to say I'm thinking of you, hope you get things sorted out and good luck for 27th October.
Oscar

Thankyou for your replies, and a little update:

luluj you were right, you CAN apply online for tax credits, however they are doing some major system upgrade so the online bit keeps disappearing and you can only fill in the 'Do I Qualify?' bit now (which wasn't even there last week - and you couldn't claim over the phone either argh!). After my hubby finally got a copy of his P60 from HR I was able to phone up Tax Credits today with accurate figures and the ball is now rolling with that. I'm at the Job Centre on Friday so I'll be on their backs to speed up my JSA claim.

On my ex-boss's back to sort some other forms out for me ready for the mortgage PPI claim. Feels a little better now things have moved on a tad!

Applying furiously for jobs and going to see if I can get in at a local company to do some voluntary work in my sector as there are no free training options through the Job Centre, and I hope that will help get my skills a bit more up to date. Already volunteering at my daughter's school which is keeping me smiling and sane! Job Centre can't accuse me of not trying, that's for sure [:)]