Missing disability premiums worth £5000+

[grumpygracie]

Hi.

Back in January of 2014 in readiness for my partner moving in as I was pregnant, I informed HMRC that he was moving in on a specific date in May 2014. And then on that date I wrote again to tell them he had actually moved in.

 

I viewed this as a change of circumstances. Our single claims were shut down and a new joint claim was set up.

 

In the meantime my baby was born, my son moved out and various other changes happened prompting a deluge of letters from the HMRC.

 

Consequently I didn’t notice until it became time for the annual review of the 2016-2017 tax credits award that I hadnt received the disability premium for two years. I hadn't noticed that the statement 'you have a disability' had been omitted.

 

I told the HMRC and after much letter writing and phone calls I have now been told that at some point I filled in an application form for joint tax credits and neglected to tick the box saying I get DLA. The HMRC already knew I was disabled from when I claimed on my own

 

I was given one month’s payment of disability premiums but I have to fight for the rest.

 

I have submitted a mandatory reconsideration request which is on-going.

 

They say I didn’t tick a box which, if I didn’t, was probably because DLA doesn’t count as income.

 

It could also be due to the fact that I am registered blind and severely partially sighted and would have been struggling with the form.

 

Also when I received the the updated award notice I would have been checking for changes relating to my relationship status, not my disability. Similarly when my baby was born and the award changed again, I would have been checking to see if all the details related to her were correct.

 

Does anyone have any advice on the likelihood of getting two years’ worth of disability premiums paid back to me?

 

Thank you

[TaxHero]

Unfortunately as you ticked the wrong box it could be difficult.

 

I would send a Complaint to HMRC. State in the complaint how the loss of disability premiums has affected your life and the hardship it has caused.

 

HMRC do look at complaints similar to the Financial Ombudsman so may look at your complaint based on hardship and the human factor.

 

If the complaint fails you can ask for a review. I have known cases where one year has been returned but unfortunately never longer than this.