AIBU?
I'm so worried and upset and horrified this is ok
pinkrosebuds69 · 25/06/2017 17:26
HMRC have just cut my working tax credits completely . I am self employed,.
I don't understand I sent them all the paperwork for the necessary checks . All early and renewal early along side my tax return 6 months before the deadline .
Apparently they "don't have enough evidence to support my hours ) and have cut them completely .
I only know this from calling up myself to check .
This decision was made with no call to me. The decision was sent out last Tuesday but I've still not received ( apparently it can take 7-10 days )
Until I have the letter apparently I can't appeal or even question it .
I am in tears , I need my tax credits to pay child care and for food I don't know what to do or where to turn or what I've done wrong. I can't buy any food now tomorrow for the week .
mothertruck3r · 25/06/2017 17:34
Do you make a profit? It says here on the tax credits website;
www.gov.uk/working-tax-credit/eligibility
What counts as work
Your work can be:
for someone else, as a worker or employee
as someone who’s self-employed
a mixture of the two
If you’re self-employed
Some self-employed people are not eligible for Working Tax Credit. To qualify, your self-employed work must aim to make a profit. It must also be commercial, regular and organised.
This means you may not qualify if you don’t:
make a profit or have clear plans to make one
work regularly
keep business records, such as receipts and invoices
follow any regulations that apply to your work, for example having the right licence or insurance
If the average hourly profit from your self-employed work is less than the National Minimum Wage, the Tax Credit Office may ask you to provide:
business records
your business plan - find out how to write a business plan
details of the day-to-day running of your business
evidence that you’ve promoted your business - such as advertisements or flyers
Elendon · 25/06/2017 17:53
Plus factor in you also have to pay for the phone call, it's not cheap, so the department is making a profit from your desperate inquiries.
This is happening at an alarming rate. People throughout the country have had benefits cut by letter, just like that. No previous letter to say that in 3 months the money will be gone. It's gone and then the letter arrives.
Get a letter to go to the nearest foodbank and get food from them.
Horrific that this money can be just cut off in such a callous way.
missadasmith · 25/06/2017 18:01
what do you do? how many hours and how much do you earn?
TBH, in a way i don't think this is a bad thing - I knows few people who ran their own business, always claim to make minimum profit to rank in maximum in tax credits and other benefits.
It is just a shame if it hits those who do it the honest way.
Babyroobs · 25/06/2017 18:03
They are really clamping down on self employed people who they deem not to be making enough profit or have a viable business.
I don't think it's about evidence of hours but that you are making at least minimum wage per hour.
For many years people have been claiming to work x number of hours to get working tax credits( which can amount to a considerable amount of money) yet profits mean they are actually working for £2/3 an hour. If this is what has been happening in your business then this maybe why they have stopped.
Babyroobs · 25/06/2017 18:07
Elendon - report them for what? People genuinely can make a very small profit in their small business and until recently as long as they meet the requirements to claim working tax credits they will get them. However now HMRC have decided to close the loophole. It's not really that people have been claiming fraudulently just that the loophole is being closed and rightly so.
LadyGardener2 · 25/06/2017 18:09
DP and I have our own little business, work 10-2 and make about 8.5k a year between us (gradually increasing and hopefully will increase loads more once youngest is in secondary) HMRC have never asked us for proof.
Have you checked you submitted the right numbers? Maybe you put a decimal in the wrong place?
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