Yesterday, I found a letter from HMRC in my post. Trepidatiously, I opened it and found a two page letter, from the Working Tax Credits Office (WTCO), telling me that I hadn’t had the service I should have had and that the 6.5 day period in question was clearly not over 7 days.
It has taken a government department responsible for people’s lives 4 years to open a calendar and check dates on it.
The final stages of this case were:
I called the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (OPHSO) and was allocated an adviser, who stayed on my case until the end.
They asked if I wanted them to contact my MP, Sarah Newton. I said yes please.
I received a letter from Sarah Newton enclosing a form to submit a complaint to her, attaching any document evidence, to be signed and sent back to the OPHSO.
I returned the form. I actually enjoyed getting this evidence together and had already compiled a diary of events from a previous letter I had sent WTCO. The OPHSO then said it had been received by them and sent on to the WTCO for them to investigate.
The whole 4 year sorry saga was then sorted out within a month. I got £50 to make up for stress caused and £10 postage costs, which I went to splash on Champagne at LIDL for the dinner with housemates that evening.
Now I can say that I am not beaten, as this was the only case I thought I might lose.
If you would like any help, please see my earlier blog about this, which has a check list of people to contact in it.
Hurrah!
Dairy of A Nonny Moose 