Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think I have really messed up!!!

71 replies

ohIamshafted · 01/03/2011 12:29

So shitting myself. I have given up my job. Returned to work after maternity leave for a few months but it was impossible...have 4 kids, job needed me to travel regularly, was on anti depressants by the end, had no money anyway.

I gave up work in the belief after doing online benefits calculator that based on DH's salary I would receive tax credits of about £300 per month (he earns about 28k).

However I've now looked at the claim pack, it seems that they base your claim on last year's income rather than current - obviously I had a income last year - does that mean I'll get nothing till this time next year?

Please can someone advise.

OP posts:
solo · 01/03/2011 12:30

No advice, but shed loads of sympathy/empathy.

worraliberty · 01/03/2011 12:32

I'm not sure but I would have thought 28k would mean the lowest amount which is around £10 a week?

StealthPolarBear · 01/03/2011 12:33

You need to call someone to find out for sure.
Was it the job you hated or just juggling work and 4 DCs?
If it was the job, can you look for something else?
Surely everyone must be in this situation - how do they expect people to cope?

solo · 01/03/2011 12:35

I do know that when I was working and earning less than £28k, I got £42 every 4 weeks WTC.

AboardtheAxiom · 01/03/2011 12:35

I'm not sure on the specifics of CTC (the benfits board on MSE may be more of a help) but sending sympathy.

It sounds like your job wasn't possible long term anyway for you so try not to panic, at the and of the day you will manage it may mean changes to how and what you spend but you will be okay.

Rannaldini · 01/03/2011 12:35

they look at the previous tax year, so 09/10
based on that you might not get anything but it renews again in april with the tax year

Fernie3 · 01/03/2011 12:35

hi your income is roughly the same as ours, we also have four children including one of baby age (so gets higher) we get £398 per month plus whatever child benefit is.

Pinkx3 · 01/03/2011 12:36

If you call them and tell them your current situation they can work out your payments for the year based on an estimate of your income for the coming year and then you provide your actual income at the end of the year. That's what I had to do when my husband went self employed.

QuintessentialShadows · 01/03/2011 12:36

You need to talk to somebody, as I am not sure you even qualify for tax credits unless you are both working?

AboardtheAxiom · 01/03/2011 12:36

I think I recall something about you can request CTC is done from this year rather than last but not sure. Confused

mmsmum · 01/03/2011 12:37

I can't help with the this year/last year question but would say to take what they say on the phone with a pinch of salt and to get that form in a.s.a.p. and regardless of what you might be told

I know someone who is going through exactly the same thing. The calculator said she'd get lots, on the phone they said she'd get nothing, she put the form in anyway and got somewhere in between!

vic77en · 01/03/2011 12:37

I think that you can request for the assessment to be done on the current year's income if there are significant differences to last year's.

Don't know how you go about it or how much you're likely to get tho'....

WincyEtNightie · 01/03/2011 12:38

I have a feeling that if you call them to say that this year is substantially different to last they can base on your current earnings. No idea if I'm right though. Second (third?) the advice of phoning them for advice though.

£300 p/m sounds a lot though....?

BuntyPenfold · 01/03/2011 12:39

They look at last year.
We were refused when earning very little, as they looked at previous year when we earnt a lot!
"But we have almost no income now."
"Last year you did though."

Rannaldini · 01/03/2011 12:40

yeah, no child tax credits unless disabled?
just working tax credits based on h salary

Rannaldini · 01/03/2011 12:41

depends
if you have earned over the threshold they don't reassess in the current tax year
if under the threshold they will reassess for significant differences of circs

Ephiny · 01/03/2011 12:46

I thought the limit was £58k not 28? Depending on how much your previous salary was, might you still qualify?

leximark · 01/03/2011 13:14

So you gave up a job so you could claim benefits at the tax payers expense?

StealthPolarBear · 01/03/2011 13:16

lexi I'd support anyone to give up a job that was causing their depression

solo · 01/03/2011 13:21

Me too Stealth.

leximark · 01/03/2011 13:21

Might have been better going to Occy Health and negotiating support than wanting to go on benefits.

fedupdownhere · 01/03/2011 13:31

If you phone and explain that your income has been reduced and they will ask you for an estimate on your income for this year and can do the assessment on that. we had to do this when my dh was ill gave up work and we only had my wages to live on.

needafootmassage · 01/03/2011 13:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NinkyNonker · 01/03/2011 13:44

You can request it is done on the current yr, you just have to be mega hot on keeping them up to date on any changes in income to lessen risk of over payment, as they'd claim that back the next tax yr. In all seriousness though tax credits are a dodgy thing to rely on as they're changing so much and you're not technically low income.

PigValentine · 01/03/2011 13:46

leximark not all employers have dedicated Occupational Health departments. Or indeed any sort of personel or HR department.

The OP and her DH are also taxpayers.

Swipe left for the next trending thread