This is maybe the triumph of optimism over experience - but does anyone have a contact name/number for Tax Credit complaints?
Carol

revenue leaflet cop1 has some info .....

• 'When you have a complaint - Please write to, or ask to speak to, the Customer Relations or Complaints Manager for the office you have been dealing with. Tell them you are unhappy and want to complain. If you are writing, it will help if you write ’Complaint’ at the top of your letter.
  
  We will look into your concerns and contact you as soon as possible. We expect to resolve most complaints at this stage.
  
  
• Still unhappy? - If we cannot settle your complaint at this stage, please ask the Director with overall responsibility for the office concerned to review your complaint. You can do this in writing, by fax or phone, or we can do this for you if you prefer.
  
  Contact details for the Directors are shown at the back of this booklet, but if you have any queries about who to contact, please ask.
  
  
• The Adjudicator - If you are not happy with the Director's response you can ask the Adjudicator to look into your complaint. The Adjudicator is a fair and unbiased referee whose recommendations are independent. You can contact the Adjudicator at .....'

Carol, I was given a fax number to use for complaints and had a fair decent response. Tax Credit Disclosure Team- Complaints 0151 949 3037

Another option may be to pursue a complaint to the Adjudicator's Office

- see the rightsnet news story Adjudicator\'s Office receives three-fold increase in tax credit complaints: Most upheld, and a proportion awarded compensation (24 November, 2004)

For further information about the work of the Adjudicator's Office, and how to make complaints to them, see their website @ www.adjudicatorsoffice.gov.uk.

Just another comment/moan abt TC's.
Cl appealed an o/p back in Sept, rec'd acknowledgment in Dec. Just rec'd 2 cheques totalling £600 with no explanatory letter. She phoned TCO herself but guess what - no-one there knew why they'd been sent and whether she should cash them.

I rang myself today and they say it's a hardship payment which as you'll all already be aware, will mean client now has another £600 to repay if appeal is dismissed. I told them I'd written twice in Nov and then in early Jan to Complaints Dept but no response. He told me they are currently dealing with June 2004 complaints so it could be a while !! He suggested always going to MP. They have target of 15 days to respond to MP complaints and the appeal usually gets fast tracked (the latter might be a bit of bull of course).