§ Mr. TruswellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what steps he is taking to address hardship caused by delays in the payment of child tax credit to claimants previously in receipt of working family tax credit; [109369]
(2) what action he is taking to minimise delays between the final payment of working families tax credit and the first payment of child tax credit to claimants; [109337]
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why some taxpayers who were previously receiving working families tax credit are experiencing delay in receiving payments of child tax credit; how many cases of delay are occurring; and when it is expected that the new system of child tax credits will be working properly and handling claims expeditiously. [109374]
§ Dawn Primarolo[holding answer 28 April 2003]The Inland Revenue asked people to make claims for the Child Tax Credit by the end of January to ensure that as many claims as possible could be processed in time for first payment in April or May. Whether first payment of 377W the Child Tax Credit is due in April or May depends on whether people are due to receive it weekly or four weekly. Two thirds of all claimants are due to receive their direct payments of tax credits every four weeks. If they sent their claim to the Inland Revenue by the end of January, and there are no outstanding enquiries, they can expect to receive their first tax credit payments no later than 2 May.
The vast majority of those opting to be paid weekly and who claimed by the end of January should have received their money already. Claimants are being contacted in the small minority of cases where further information is needed to process their claims.
Claims received after the end of January are being processed as quickly as possible. Claims from former recipients of Working Families' Tax Credit and Disabled Person's Tax Credit are being prioritised.
In the tiny minority of cases where a payment is due and has not been received, as an alternative to phoning the helpline, claimants may want to visit their local Inland Revenue office. Local offices can check the status of a claim and, where appropriate, can arrange an emergency payment of tax credits.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many families are receiving(a) child tax credit and (b) amounts equivalent to child tax credit through income support or jobseeker's allowance who will be automatically transferred on to child tax credit before October 2004; [110474]
(2) what the take-up rate was for working families' tax credit in each year since 1999; what target he has set for the take-up rate for working tax credit; and what estimate he has made of the likely take-up rate of working tax credit. [110475]
§ Dawn PrimaroloI refer the hon. Member to my answer to the right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) on 28 April 2003,Official Report, column 162W.