TCM0284398 - Specialist areas - Complex: Complex cases - renewals - income - actual income provided after estimated income
Checklist
Before you follow this guidance, make sure
- you have the correct user roles to follow this guidance. Use the B&C Roles and Access Catalogue. You can find this by going to the Benefits & Credits homepage, selecting ‘R’ on the B&C A-Z index, selecting ‘Roles and Access Process’, selecting ‘Roles & Access Catalogue’ from the Related links menu
- you are in the correct MU. Use TCM0322460 for the correct MU number.
Background
The International Team is responsible for all claims where
- any member of the household lives outside the UK
and/or
- any member of the household works outside the UK
or
- where it’s classed as an international complex case.
As the majority of cases are clerical, you must follow this guidance when the customer provides actual income after they have already provided estimated income.
Guidance
Note: When sending customer, staff or process data to another individual or team, make sure you follow the latest data security guidelines or contact the Data Guardian or Data Security Team for advice.
Step 1
If you’re dealing with a duplicate form TC828 only, go to Step 7.
If the clerical BF date waiting for the outcome of the customer’s appeal has expired, go to Step 9.
If any other circumstances apply, go to Step 2.
Step 2
Follow the guidance in TCM0262120
Note: When following the guidance in TCM0262120, ignore the ‘If the Complex Case signal is shown send to…..’ option in step 5 and carry on working through the guidance.
Note: Step 5 in TCM0262120 does not make reference to checking if there’s an ‘Appeal’ marker present. However, if there is an ‘Appeal’ marker present, make a note of this.
then, if you have been told to return to this guidance
- check whether a ‘Payment Suspension’ has been set, if necessary. For how to do this, use TCM1000368.
Note: If the customer or their partner is a crown servant or serves in the armed forces and both are working and/or one customer isn’t working, the ‘Payment Suspension’ won’t be set as the payments can be made by the tax credits computer.
Note: If this is a complex case, ‘Manual Payment Request’ will be shown for both customers in the ‘Suspensions currently set’ field.
If a ‘Payment Suspension’ has been set, go to Step 3.
If a ‘Payment Suspension’ has not been set but you need to set it
- suspend the payments. For how to do this, use TCM1000232
- go to Step 3.
If a ‘Payment Suspension’ has not been set and you do not need to set it, go to Step 3.
Step 3
Compare the actual income provided by the customer with the estimated income already provided. For how to do this, use TCM1000209
- make a note of the income type and any differences between the income
- go to Step 4.
Step 4
Check Household Notes to determine if form TC828 or duplicate form TC828 has been issued. For how to do this, use TCM1000067.
If form TC828 has not been issued, go to Step 11.
If form TC828 or duplicate form TC828 has been issued, go to Step 5.
Step 5
Check Household Notes to determine if either of the following messages is recorded
‘Complex - WTC Upfront Case’
‘Possible ESA case - Complex Case’
For how to do this, use TCM1000067.
If neither message is recorded, go to Step 6.
If ‘Complex - WTC Upfront Case’ is recorded
- make a note of this
- go to Step 6.
If ‘Possible ESA case - Complex Case’ is recorded
- refer the case to your Technical Advice Line Liaison Officer (TALLO) for advice on what to do
- follow the advice
- go to Step 6.
Step 6
Check Household Notes to determine if form TC828 or duplicate form TC828 has been returned.
If form TC828 or duplicate form TC828 has been returned, go to Step 7.
If form TC828 hasn’t been returned, go to Step 7.
If duplicate form TC828 has not been returned and the BF date has not expired
- continue to set a BF date until the end of the BF date period
- go to Step 11.
If duplicate form TC828 has not been returned and the BF date has expired, go to Step 11.
Step 7
Consider the information the customer has provided on form TC828.
If the customer has not made a claim yet for benefits in the EU Member State, go to Step 10.
If the customer has made a claim for benefits in the EU Member State, go to Step 11.
Step 8
Prepare and issue a duplicate form TC828
- set a clerical BF date of 15 days in the future
- update Household Notes with the following message II22 from TCM0160040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
- go to Step 11.
Step 9
If the Appeal Team has completed their action, go to Step 16.
If the Appeal Team hasn’t completed their action
- set a clerical BF date of seven days in the future
- take no further action.
Step 10
Prepare and issue form TC697
- go to Step 11.
Step 11
Check Household Notes and the ‘Unprocessed S17’ work list for any change of circumstances. For how to do this, use TCM1000067 and TCM1000142
- make a note of the reason the item is on the Unprocessed S17 work list and what the change of circumstance is.
If there is a change of circumstance and/or a change of income, go to Step 12.
If there is not a change of circumstance and the income is the same, go to Step 15.
If there is not a change of circumstance and the income is not the same, go to Step 12.
If there is not a change of circumstance or change of income and you’re dealing with form TC828 or duplicate form TC828 only, go to Step 14.
Step 12
Follow the guidance in TCM0042260
then, if you can continue to process the work item
- action the reasons the work item in on the Unprocessed S17 work list. Follow the appropriate guidance in TCM0270000 or TCM0272000
Note: If an ‘Appeal’ marker is present do not finalise PY. The Appeal Team will do this when they have completed their action. Only renew CY.
- go to Step 13.
Step 13
Check if the change of circumstances has changed the competency. Follow the guidance in the ‘Competency Aid Decision Tree’. For how to do this, use TCM1000257.
If the competency has changed, go to Step 14.
If the competency has not changed, go to Step 15.
Step 14
Consider the information the customer has provided on form TC828 and follow the ‘Competency Aid’ to decide the competent country.
If you are dealing with form TC828 or duplicate form TC828 only, go to Step 16.
If you are not dealing with form TC828 or duplicate form TC828 only, go to Step 15.
Step 15
Change the estimated income to the actual income. For how to do this, use TCM1000210.
If there was an ‘Appeal’ marker present, go to Step 17.
If there was not an ‘Appeal’ marker present, go to Step 16.
Step 16
Manually calculate the PY and/or CY entitlement
Note: The amount that has been paid in PY and/or CY will be shown on the ‘Manual Payments’ stencil.
- update form TC648 with this information
- use the SEES Tax Credits Entitlement Calculator to calculate the customer’s entitlement. For how to do this, use TCM1000089
Note: If there hasn’t been a reply to form TC828 or duplicate form TC828, calculate PY and pay WTC only for CY.
Note: In ‘WTC Upfront’ cases, only calculate WTC for PY and CY.
Note: When calculating the ‘Other’ income for ‘WTC’ only cases, only take into account the ‘other’ income for the customer receiving WTC only.
- where the EU Member State is competent, complete form 1D
- complete the ‘Finalised’ stencil for PY
Note: Don’t complete this stencil if there is an ‘Appeal’ marker present.
- complete the ‘Initial’ stencil for CY
- complete form 1A for CY
- complete the ‘Arrears’ stencil
- go to Step 18.
Step 17
Manually calculate the CY
Note: The amount that has been paid in CY will be shown on the ‘Manual Payments’ stencil.
- update form TC648 with this information
- use the SEES Tax Credits Entitlement Calculator to calculate the customer’s entitlement. For how to do this, use TCM1000089
Note: When calculating the ‘Other’ income for ‘WTC’ only cases, only take into account the ‘other’ income for the customer receiving WTC only.
- where the EU Member State is competent, complete form 1D
- complete the ‘Initial’ stencil for CY
- complete form 1A for CY
- complete the ‘Arrears’ stencil
- go to Step 18.
Step 18
Compare what is due and what has been paid for PY, CY and/or PY and CY
Note: The amount that’s been paid in PY and / or CY will be shown on the ‘Manual Payments’ stencil
- go to Step 19.
Step 19
Prepare and issue forms TC602A and/or TC602E
Note: Always issue a TC602(sn) with every TC602 you issue.
Note: Don’t issue form TC602E if there is an ‘Appeal’ marker present. The Appeal Team will contact you when they’ve completed their action.
Note: If you’ve finalised PY and not restored CY, prepare and issue form TC602E only.
Note: Where there are two customers on the tax credit claim, issue a joint award notice to both customers irrespective of where they live showing both WTC and CTC awards.
Note: In ‘WTC Upfront’ or ‘WTC only’ cases, only complete and issue the notices with the income and/or job details of the customer who’ is receiving WTC only.
Note: On all manual notices issued, ensure you attach a return address sticker onto the front of each form.
- set an issue date for form TC602E. For how to do this, use TCM1000367
- go to Step 20.
Step 20
Update Household Notes with the appropriate message - II03, II10, II19, II22, II25 from TCM0160040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
- check the casepapers.
If there is an overpayment and the case is in direct recovery, go to Step 21.
If the payments have changed, go to Step 22.
If there have been any changes that will affect the Child Benefit claim, go to Step 23.
Step 21
Remit the amount of system calculated overpayment using remission code 13. Follow the guidance in TCM0230060
- complete form TC33 (part 3 only)
- update Household Notes with the message II58 from TCM0160040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
- refer the case to Debt Management and Banking (DMB) (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
Note: Do not issue form TC610 as DMB will issue this form when they receive the form TC33.
- go to Step 23.
Step 22
Complete the ‘Manual Payment Referral’ sheet
- go to Step 23.
Step 23
Consider if any of the customers details that have changed would affect their Child Benefit claim
Note: Changes that could affect the Child Benefit claim are: a change of address, no longer EU Member State competent, child has left full-time non-advanced education, responsibility has now ended for one or more children on the claim.
If there are any changes that would affect the customer’s Child Benefit claim
- complete the ‘CHB referral’ template and send it to the Child Benefit Office
- go to Step 24.
If there are not any changes that would affect the customer’s Child Benefit claim, go to Step 24.
Step 24
Complete form TC694 and send it to the relevant EU Member State office
Note: Your manager will have a list of the EU Member State office addresses.
- update Household Notes with the message II07 from TCM0160040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001.