To be worried about how much I receive in tax credits

[Mmmmbrekkie]

Single mum
Two primary children
I work part time (24 hours a week)
Salary £40k a year (pro rata £24k)
£91 a week spent on childcare

Please see attached for what I receive in tax credit. I have been receiving this ever since I returned to work.

It seems very high.

I am saving a good proportion of it as worried I will be required to pay back.

Is this in line with what others receive?

I have rung hmrc and they have confirmed all my details and confirmed I am receiving the correct amount

I just can’t shake feeling that it’s too much

Seems awfully too much to me aswell. Go on tax credit calculator on the gov website and see what that tells you that you should be receiving on a weekly basis. I would echo above post of writing to them recorded delivery with maybe a print out of what the gov website tells you that you should roughly receive and say that you have a feeling it is too much but if you don’t agree then you are not liable for paying it back as you have tried numerous times to correct it. Bloody terrible system.

Their chat service online is good. You could double check on their and then print it off for proof if they query it in future. I assume they are calculating it on quite a low salary as you are part time and with childcare costs, perhaps? as it does seem quite high. To avoid overpayment make sure keep them updates as to this years income as they calculate it on the previous.

Actually, when you consider childcare that could be right amount. We got about £400 a month, on a similar salary. but then OP also has around £360 in childcare in top...which means those amounts could well be right.

She wouldn't get working tax credit though Home.

Ah, Ok, yes that stops doesn't it...at around 18-19K...I wonder Op was last years salary less?

This calculator is good for tax credits. We had an overpayment and they just reduce it the next year, so if you are putting some aside that would be fine.

www.gov.uk/tax-credits-calculator

Crikey! OP gets more in tax credits than my net monthly earnings! (I only work part time too). Saving a chunk of it in case it turns out to be an overpayment is a very good idea OP.

It will be based from last years earnings not your current wage, if you were on a lower income then it would make sense? I’m on a very low income (under £500 for 16 hours) with 2 children and get £189 a week of working tax and child tax so it does seem very high but if they say it’s correct and a problem comes up, you have proof you double checked and they confirmed it was correct.

The other place to check online the details are correct is called Gov gateway they have the info there, and of course the letters they send, check them..it will soon be April so renewal time also.

We also were overpaid and had to pay back thousands despite keep ringing and telling them it wasn’t correct.

Put what you think is the overpaid amount into premium bonds or a high interest acct. When they do get their act together any winnings or interest is yours to keep.

You get more than me, I'm a single parent with a 1 year old, this year's earnings will be about £14k, I pay £780/month childcare.

If you ask them to send you an award notice it'll be broken down for you, then you should be able to see where they're going wrong.

I'm a single mother with 3 primary aged children, work a little more than you for about a third of your salary, and I get roughly the same as you in tax credits?! How do you even get any tax credits; if I were on 24k I don't think I'd need any!

Well i t doesn't matter what you think you need Sansa it's wether your entitled to them or not .

We were in a situation like you, I questioned the amount being paid to us over the years and the advisor said it was accurate, all is as it should be, they said.

At the end of year renewal when my last child was no longer in education we were sent a letter saying we’d been overpaid and they wanted it back. Despite arguing with them that it was the correct amount our appeal was rejected and we eventually agreed a payment plan.

They don’t know their arse from their elbow.

I've just been onto the government tax credits calculator. I have 2 DC under 17 and in full time education and 1 17 year old not in full time education. I will be working approximately 42 hours a week and will earn around £27,450. My childcare averages about 333.75 a month.

This is how much it said I would be entitled to.

OP, do you have a recent tax credit award letter? If not call the helpline again and ask them to send you the latest one. That will include a breakdown of how they have calculated your award.

Once you have the letter, I suggest you check it yourself (cross check using an online benefits calculator such as Turn2Us or Entitledto) or visit your local Citizens Advice and ask them to check - take your tax credits award letter, P60 for 2017-18, and recent payslips and bank statements.

To the PPs saying that the OP is not entitled to WTC - yes she is. She is entitled to the childcare element of WTC. It is only working parents who get help with childcare costs via tax credits, so the childcare element comes under WTC and not CTC. (CTC is for parents who don't work as well as those who do.)

I wouldnt trust what tax credit says, my son was only earning £11000 a year and getting tax credits, nothing like the amount you are getting,ow they say he has been overpaid, and taking £57 a month from universal credit,even though had had to finish work for health reasons, and they wont budge on that amount,he says the year they said he paid too much he wasnt getting it at all, they say it was 7 years go, but still want it back

Be very careful. When we needed to claim Child Tax Credits DH (background in finance but had been made redundant and we had SEN child so it was difficult for me to earn hence credits) checked the calculations and used to say he had NEVER not found a mistake, often a serious one. And they don't let you keep their mistakes.

I'm a single mum who is a carer as both my children are disabled - one gets high rate care the other middle rate care, and that's basically what I get (which includes the disability premiums). That's more than likely an overpayment.

the online calculators are rubbish, me and partner earned £19-20k between us and we were entitled to £0 that was for one child and childcare, partner working 37hrs a week and me 10 hours

I'd spend it.

IF you need to pay it back its only £10 a month.

I'd see it as an interest free loan.

When you say since you returned to work does that mean your earnings were considerably lower, or nil in the previous tax year?
That could be the key.
It’s calculated on the previous year’s earnings on the basis you will earn the same this year.
I was massively overpaid when I went back after mat leave.
Best thing to do is call them with all your up to date figures.

That seems very high. For comparison we get working and tax of 700 combined per month. That includeds a disabled child element. We have two children. Husband works full time on minimum wage and I don't work (get carers allowance of £60 per week).

It does seem high for your wage. I work 20 hours a week earning £170pw and I get about £700pm tax credits (I only have one child and no childcare costs though but my salary is significantly lower than yours)

26k is the household cap for WTCc not 16k.