'Tax system is leaving us broke' (From Gazette & Herald)

'Tax system is leaving us broke'

A YOUNG Ryedale family is at its wits' end following a catalogue of tax credit errors that have left them without crucial cash.

Parents-of-two Karen and Craig Holmes, who are 26 and 23 respectively, of Lime Tree Avenue, Malton, say their lives have been made a misery by the Inland Revenue, after a series of computer glitches left their working families and child tax credits unpaid - to the tune of £1,200.

The couple claim the Inland Revenue has:

Deleted their four-year-old daughter Jade and 11-month-old son Cameron from the computer system twice;

Stopped their tax credits completely for more than eight weeks;

Claimed that they had been overpaid by £2,223 for child tax credit because they have no children and £290 in working tax credit because Mrs Holmes was unemployed, when she was in fact working;

Sent out 15 different award notices, all promising different amounts.

The family have been told that they will have to wait another eight weeks for another award notice to come through.

"Until then, we have to make do with our child benefit, which is £27.55 a week, until Craig, who has just started full-time work as a machine operator for Marble Building Products, Full Sutton, York, receives his first wage packet," said Mrs Holmes.

The problems began in March, when Mrs Holmes notified the Inland Revenue that she had come off job seeker's allowance and gained employment as a legal secretary in Malton.

"Apparently, I worked 35 hours a week but had an annual income of zero - yes, work all the hours that God sends me and I don't get paid - and that we have no qualifying children. Tax credits are making our lives hell," said Mrs Holmes.

An Inland Revenue spokesman said he could not comment on individual cases, but anyone experiencing problems with the tax credit system should phone the helpline on (0845) 3003900.

Updated: 11:35 Wednesday, April 28, 2004