Lone parent, 2 kids, work 20 hours, claim tax credits? Please read..

[GoingToCalifornia]

A long shot, but I'm wondering if anyone else lives alone with two children (mjne are both at infant/junior school) and works part time 20 hours a week, and receives no financial support from their absent father.


I'm just curious to know how your tax credits pan out on 20 hours.
I've done all the entitled to.com etc calculators but how do your finances manage, especially if like me you have to put both children into a breakfast club for an hour each morning, as I don't know yet whether government childcare 'vouchers' will cover that cost.

[WhyYouGottaBeSoRude]

What do you mean 'pan out'? Are you asking for figures?

[MisForMumNotMaid]

another calculator for you to try. This is the tax credits own one

[Woodenheart]

You would get up to 70% towards school club fees,

[Singleandproud]

I have one child and work 25 hours and get £126 tax credits a week, no help on Council tax apart 25%off single person discount and £17 a week help with my rent. Ironically I'm a little worse off than when I was only working 16 hours.

Any maintence you would get would be disregarded anyway as that is for the children not you. Also if you aren't getting any help get the CSA involved - it takes FOREVER for them to sort it out but he should contribute to his children.

[susiedaisy]

If you go to the website of the charity turn2us there is a calculator and it will help you find out what tax credits you can receive. I found them to be really helpful and friendly.

[Wotsitsareafterme]

On the tax credits site there is also a better off calculator which determines whether it's better to claim working tax credits or the childcare vouchers through your employer. It's likely to be wtc.
Also might be worth going to citizens advice as my colleague did this and they advised her she was better off working only 16 hours. You need to get the figures.
I work 22 hours but earn over the 15k cut off so if lose tax credits and I'm not much better off

[D0oinMeCleanin]

Tax credits and child benefit amount to about £230 p/w, wages £110 p/w.

Out of this I need to pay £20 p/w top up rent. £80 pm council tax and the usual water rates, gas. electric etc.

We're hardly rolling in it but we're not skint either. We can afford to eat, heat the house and have a few days out here and there, while still putting a bit aside for a small holiday however I get a fuck load of help from my parents.

On the nights I work I don't pay childcare, nor to feed my kids. My mum looks after them, feeds them and bathes them. Which obv saves me gas money, food money and childcare.

[susiedaisy]

Wotsit. I have found the same. I do 28 hours a week if I do anymore the tax credits just go down so I end up working the extra hours for next to nothing.
I tried it and upped my hours to 24 last year but didn't earn hardly any extr as they reduced my tax credits by quite a lot, then taking extra petrol into consideration it just wasn't worth it so I reduced them back down

[susiedaisy]

18 hours not 28.