Does this amount of tax credits sound correct?

[WTFthatsweird]

DH £16,500 per year
Me £3,500 per year (maternity leave)

£35 a week tax credits

(3 kids no childcare currently).

It seems like a really poxy amount. I checked that all the info they had was correct.
My friend who's husband earns more gets a lot more tax credits than us.

We are struggling financially - big time.

We are on roughly the same amount but only have one child and get half the amount you do, so I would say its right

Well then you need a food bank or you both need to get better paid jobs.

As much as there are problems with UC, this is where it's significantly better than TC, because it goes on your monthly earnings. There's no ridiculous renewal to do every year and if your earnings go up or down, you don't have to inform them.
It might be worth looking into if you'd be better off on UC. In general, 2 parent families with 2 children and one or both working in low/middle income jobs are usually better off. Particularly if you live in social housing. Private rent is negligible and if you have a mortgage it's unlikely you'll be better off.

You need to tell them your change of 9ncome again. You should be getting more

or you both need to get better paid jobs.

OR they could give us the TC we are entitled to?
Then it wouldn't be a problem

Some posters are pretty snarky this morning
Ignore them op

You can open an online account with them, to add changes in childcare/income/hours worked.

You can then see upcoming payments.

All your past monthly pay is recorded on there as well.

Mine go back to the 90s. Obviously they have them all as HMRC know how much tax you pay every month.

Its really easy to log in & check everything.

For instance - DC will be going to Holiday clubs all summer, whilst Im at work so I input the Childcare Costs for the summer every week (as it changes depending on which club we use ), then put it back to £0 in September when they are back at school.

I have.

As I said a few times on this thread, I updated them, checked, called etc and did so regularly.

And as I said very recently, it is incorrect because they based it on last years income.

People are seriously snarky and judgemental on here.

Both DH and I work full time, and I'm on maternity leave and I'm planning to go back ASAP.

But apparently we need better paid jobs? FWIW in a couple of years I will be earning enough to come of TC altogether not that I should have to justify myself.

@WTFthatsweird , I can help you work out how much UC you'd be able to get if you like. Once you know how it works, it's pretty easy to do.

Thank you. I think we stay in TC unless it's a new claim though?

And I think UC stops every time there's 5 weeks in a month? That sounds like a nightmare!

Better the devil you know.

It all depends if you get paid 4 weekly or not. DH and I both get paid on the last Friday of the month so there's never an assessment period where we have 2 paydays. Like I said, there are very specific circumstances where UC works really well. We wouldn't even be entitled to TC as it stands because we have no childcare costs. But UC goes on your earnings after deductions, whereas TC is pre tax income which means middle earners are usually screwed!

You would be better moving to UC, it’s a pain to set up but they give you money based on what you earn each month, so if you earn less one month you get more UC immediately instead of it being based on last years wages.

The 5 week problem is if you get paid every 4 weeks. If you get paid monthly then it won’t affect you.

I'm fairly certain you can ask to move to UC if it's already up and running in your area. If you plan for it, then the 5 week wait before your first payment and problem with assessment period are within your control. When you apply decides when your assessment period is and you will know you're not due a payment for a few weeks so can plan finances a little better than someone who is forced to move onto it. We were migrated very early on, back in 2016 as a sort of test case. We waited 9 weeks for our first payment and it was hell. But by virtue of that early migration our DC are now entitled to free school meals for as long as we receive UC, until they both finish secondary school. We don't use it, DC take packed lunches every day but it means their schools get extra funding so not a bad thing.

Oh wow ok. I've learned something then.

So I get paid on the 28th of each month, so no problem with being paid more that the set amount.

But DH is self employed - would that complicate things? It already is complex especially around Christmas and summer where his work can slow down or speed up.

It makes it more complex because of the minimum income floor, but if he earns above that you'll be better off. You have to go to the jobcentre for them to work out your minimum income floor, but it helps you have a child under 3 because you're not expected to be earning. MIF is usually 160 hours x 8.20 (min wage) so £1312 Monthly after all deductions (including business related expenses: car, equipment etc)

Self employment and UC is much more complex so it's worth going to citizens advice to check.

If self employment and UC is much more complex then I'm not touching it with a barge pole.
I'm going to be earning more money soon where we won't need TC so it's just not worth the hassle. TC and self-employment is complex enough, we may as well just ride it out.
Thanks for your help though.

(Plus my wages change each month as well, so even more complicated).

I think if your wages change each month, UC is still better. Mine are different every month, August I'll have no wages at all but our UC payment just adjusts accordingly. As long as your DH remembers to report his earnings every month, you shouldn't have an issue.

UC and self employment depends on if you're classed as gainfully self employed or not I believe.

I see. I will speak to DH.
I tried to get him to report his earnings each month to TC but he didn't.
I will ask him tonight though.

Gainfully self employed?

Gainfully self employed just means earning the minimum income floor. Which is usually around £1312 a month if single or a couple with a child under 3.

Yeah so under UC there are two categories of self employment. One being newly self employed or gainfully. The latter being making enough regular income.

I'm not gainfully self employed yet, so at the end of every month I have to declare my income to UC and they deduct whatever is necessary from my benefits.

Also depends on your housing situation. Are you renting? Private or social housing? Or do you have a mortgage?

I personally find this much better than the way TC deal with SE.

We are renting at the moment.