A MOTHER-of-four has branded the new working tax credit system 'diabolical' after a series of payment delays.

Emma Bateman, 22, says she had to borrow money from friends and family after she was left £750 out of pocket.

The Inland Revenue settled the balance but another delay this week means the family has no money again.

The family tried to resolve the problem but were unable to get through on the helpline and the situation was only rectified after Gordon Prentice, Pendle MP, became involved.

Emma, of Norfolk Street, Colne, said: "They are doing it the wrong way and making the people who can't afford it suffer.

"The government is making the poorest people in the country go without money. It is diabolical." Emma and her husband Craig, 24, previously claimed family credit and were entitled to £125 a week for Ryan, four, Sophie, three, and Owen, 19 months.

Craig, a sales assistant, is on the minimum wage and brings home £637 a month.

When Joshua, now three months, was born, Emma put in a new claim which entitled her to an additional £25 per week.

But that money was not added on. The family received the original allowance until March 11 and then had nothing for four weeks.

After a series of complaints Emma received back payment of £750 last Tuesday. But this week there was no payment again.

She said: "They kept saying we were a priority but if priorities take this long to sort out I don't know how others manage.

"I have four children to support and all their food to buy but I had no money coming.

"We have had to borrow money to pay the bills, mortgage and even to buy basics like food. When we got the £750 we spent it all at once repaying loans from friends and family and settling bills."

A spokesman for Gordon Prentice's office said: "Mrs Bateman had not got any information about her award and it took us almost a week to get through to them and that was because we used a separate line for MPs.

"We have had quite a few people in touch with similar problems but Mrs Bateman's has been the only one where she completed the forms correctly but had experienced delays in receiving money."

The government has drafted in 700 extra staff to answer the flood of calls about new tax credits and the Inland Revenue has apologised for delays answering helpline calls. But the Treasury has acknowledged that a tiny percentage of eligible families will have to pick up emergency payments from their local Inland Revenue office as they cannot yet be paid directly into bank accounts or building societies.