The amount of benefit I am getting in staggeringly high...

[Workreturner]

AIBU to be flabbergasted.

So I have just returned to work. Previously I received JSA and CTC and child benefit. Totalled approximate best part of £900.

I have returned to work. It’s well paid. 24 hours a week for £24k a year. I immediately updated local job benefits office and HMRC.

I have just been online on my HMRC account and my jaw hit the floor.

I won’t be receiving JSA but I will be receiving £308 in WTC and £417 in CTC. Plus £137 child benefit. Pretty much exactly the same as when I wasn’t in work.
Plus I will get help towards child care costs.

It seems an awful lot of money on top of a decent salary.

I’m a single mother of two primary children.

Does this seem right to you or those in similar situations tell me it’s wrong. I would like to avoid the scenario whereby I have to repay.

Yep that is about right.

The WTC seems ever so slightly high by about £50-£100 but CTC is usually £60-70 per week per child so that is pretty much accurate. Child Benefit is of course a set amount.

I'd say it's more or less accurate but definitely double check the WTC

Your renewal letter is unlikely to come in April. You’ll get a pack sent out that you need to complete by the end of July. I’m still waiting for confirmation of my final tax credits award for 17-18. It originally said it’d be done by 31st Oct but now says 30 Nov. I’m not holding my breath. It’s a hopeless system.

This isn't correct at all - the cut off for wtc is around 17k for a start so you wouldn't get any wtc.

wait till universal credit chips in - no working tax credit etc start saving

The CTC is for childcare costs, you won't get more on top of that.

It sounds accurate for the final 6m of the tax year OP. Next tax year it will drop somewhat I imagine for your wtc and probably 1/4 of the ctc.

Odd. I'm a lone parent like you with one DC, like you. I earn £21k doing 30 hours (you make more doing 30 hours). I get just short of £500 pm which includes my childcare contribution. Plus £82pm child benefit. I think you've entered something incorrectly op

You won't get childcare help if you claim CTC or WTC it's either claim them or claim childcare help.

Also when universal credit comes in, then the amount you get will be a lot lower.
I'm surprised you get WTC unless you are self employed.

You will lose other benefits such as free dentist and prescriptions etc. Essentially you're getting tax credits and working. It won't last forever and will change come April.

Every family who has children and earns under 100k gets child benefit

Also if you had only one child then you would get a lot less. Be prepared to pay some credits back. I get £280 a month due to overpayments last year, if that makes sense. I'm on similar income to you minus the WTC

The thing is, you will be absolutely screwed if you have spent this money, and then they ask for an immediate repayment as they have made an error/overpayments. This could have long term financial ramifications for you if you wouldn’t be able to afford to pay them back for said overpayments. So you should definitely contact them and confirm that the amounts are correct.

You can get help with up to 70% of childcare costs.

Enjoy it while you can! I don't see how the Benefits Agency can ask for it back if they've made a mistake but to be on the safe side, tuck some away.

Someone I know was given a shed load of Benefit, she didn't question it at the time, thought the powers that be had calculated it correctly and was, of course, delighted. However, it was only for a month! Their mistake. She didn't have to pay it back though, it was just forgotten.

@Rachelover40 Ohhhhhh they can and they DO! They take it out of your money at around £100 a month!!

@chocolatecoveredraisons That's rubbish! Tax credits have always covered 70% of childcare costs on top of WTC & CTC! Do your research

@TeachesOfPeaches Incorrect! Childcare costs are in addition to CTC & WTC. Always have been

With a wage of 24k you won’t qualify for WTC.

You would qualify for CTC and it would be about £50 per week.

You will owe it all back, so put it to one side.

I'd certainly be wary.

I only seem to know people who are worse off under UC. Criminally so.

I would also be careful about being relieved at the end of the tax year myself and my friend (and I have heard of many others) have been receiving overpayments letters from years previously.

I am paying back an overpayment from 3 years ago that only came to light this year. I have requested my records, but they seem to be slow coming

Just be careful, you don’t want to be overpaid and then be told to pay it all back

I've just done a calculation on entitled to based on the info given.

Under UC you'd get £45.91 pw (that doesn't include help with childcare as you say you've not included that yet)

Under current system
£55.26 tax credits
£34.40 child benefit

If I were you I'd do 3 things:

1 assume I was entitled to the lesser of the 2 amounts above (or do your own calculation and see what it says you'll have all the info) and put anything above that aside.

2 make an appointment with local welfare rights office - most councils have them, they're basically council funded benefits experts who REALLY know their stuff. And get their take on all this. They can even speak to tax credits on your behalf.

3 set up a folder containing ALL written comms on this matter kept in a safe place. I'd also to be honest record all phone conversations - I don't give a stuff if it's legal though I'd assume it is if you tell them seeing as companies and govt depts do this to us all the time!

If the matter isn't resolved to your satisfaction definitely call MP they can get a lot done. can you tell I've been dealing with this shit too long

Good job i asked!! Because i never wouid have looked more closely in to this.

So in actual fact I am not entitled to any WTC at all.

Under current system I am entitled to £437 tax credit plus £149 child benefit. Total £586

When we move to universal credit I will be entitied to £234 UC and £149 child benefit. Total £383

So a far cry from the £900 a month I will be paid until April 2018!

Thanks so much!

Am I right in thinking that even though my area goes to it on 21 November, o will stay on current system until I report any changes? Thanks

Thanks so much. I’ll be saving £500 a month!

@powerless Could you explain please? I'm a single parent and earn around £23k which is for 30 hours per week.

Take home is £1500, plus I get £500pcm CTC, around £600pcm housing benefit plus child benefit of around £80.

My rent is £1100 for 1 bedroom flat zone 3 and childcare costs are £850pcm for one child. Could I make an additional claim for childcare? I assumed this is what CTC is for as I've provided my childcare details to them. Thanks

Every family who has children and earns under 100k gets child benefit

Yes but if one person earns over 50k then CB is reduced & I think it stops at 60k so you can have one family earning 70k who don’t quality & a family earning 100k who does.