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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect something back from the state now our income has dropped by more than half...?

94 replies

vtiredmummy · 13/02/2009 19:05

Had rotten dat today, and ended up shouting/crying on phone to poor call centre lady from the child tax credit office.

Our situation - until last week dh and I were good earners, (and hard workers) with paid childcare. Now dh has been made redundant and effectively overnight our income has reduced by well over half.

So (stupidly) I called up the tax credit people (cos my wage alone entitles us to both child and working tax credits) to let them know...like the advert 'let us know if your circumstances change...etc etc' to be told that we are entitled to nothing because of our income over the past ten months.

Then we can re-claim in April where they will base it on 08-09 income and they might take into account redundancy, but the amount we get (if anything) is still based upon 08-09.

They won't take the cost of childcare into account because dh is at home, so our ds now loses all routine and continuity as we will have to take him out of his nursery due to the cost.

Does anyone else think this is totally, totally ridiculous??? We will get all the credits we need in April 2010 in effect. If dh hasn't got a job by then we'd have lost our house long before.

We can't be the only ones in this situation and I find it infuriating that HMRC don't have a system for people in this situation.

And if dh left me I'd be better off as a single mum right now...which just makes me even more mad. What the heck does the government think they are doing???!!!

AIBU, or should I just be thankful for what I have gor. I don't feel much like this right now btw...

Rant over

OP posts:
FAQinglovely · 13/02/2009 19:34

what wasaconventgirl has said. You don't need the childcare paid for at the moment, but you do need support for other bills.

mrsjammi · 13/02/2009 19:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
vtiredmummy · 13/02/2009 19:35

pointydog I'm got my mum and dad nearby and they have offered to help look after ds if dh gets a job interview (I work ft), but they're not in a position to help financially unfortunately. DH's parents are in Oz. Might go and emigrate and see what the system there is like, can't be worse!

OP posts:
mrsjammi · 13/02/2009 19:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

pointydog · 13/02/2009 19:36

yes, that's what I was thinking, v. They could step in re the childcare if dh was trawling around for jobs and interviews.

OrmIrian · 13/02/2009 19:38

I don't think he needs to be at a nursery when one of you is at home does he?

I have plenty of sympathy re your situation but I think the nursery thing is a bit daft TBH.

comparethePeachydotcom · 13/02/2009 19:39

'can't be worse! '

Couldn't it?Honestly? I can think of much worse, tbh.

beansontoast · 13/02/2009 19:39

vtiredmummy.
i'm sorry,i didnt mean to imply that you were posting for sympathy..as i didnt think you were.i was sort of warning you incase alot of people were'nt wholly sympathetic...

it would seem you are ok though!

Nighbynight · 13/02/2009 19:40

vtiredmummy - I used to be one of those upright middle class citizens who worked hard and was useless at standing up for their rights.
Now Im tougher Get back down there and kick some ass!

flowerybeanbag · 13/02/2009 19:40

The tax credit situation sounds frustrating, YANBU to be annoyed about that, but I have to agree the idea that the taxpayer should pay for your DS to go to nursery when your DH is at home is a bit bonkers.

If you have family to take DS in the event of DH having an interview that's even less of an issue.

OrmIrian · 13/02/2009 19:41

agree with peachy. Could be a lot worse.

Ivykaty44 · 13/02/2009 19:41

Our tax credit system is based on the Australina tax credit system.......

Original poster
vtiredmummy · 13/02/2009 19:42

I don't expect for the state to pay for ds whilst in nursery. I am just concerned we take him out, then a couple of months dh gets a job (here's hoping!) then we can't get him back into nursery as it is a popular one with a waiting list. Then poor ds goes through the whole settling in process at a new nursery once again. Maybe it wouldn't be as tough for him second time around? he really struggled first time...

OP posts:
comparethePeachydotcom · 13/02/2009 19:44

Have you thought about posting allthis on the Harriet AHrman thread with a sticky at the top of active convo's?

rimmer · 13/02/2009 19:45

Vtiredmummy, I wholeheartedly sympathise with your frustration at not getting anything back after you have been paying your taxes etc and helping support those of us claiming benefits.

but

The tax credits system has to have limits. You must have had a good joint income before the redundancy, so therefore you have exceded the limit for this year. End of story, I know that's harsh, cos obviously you can't budget for the whole year based on earning one wage and save the rest to cover the shortfall if you lose part of your household income, but sadly that's the way it is.

I mean if you had a £100K salary then lost your job tomorrow, why should you be entitled to a top up from tax credits?
Remember it works both ways, if you went from minimum wage job to a £100K salary in the same tax year, you would have to pay it all back!

Tis true about insisting on the current figures, you need to make sure you phone them straight away on 4th April or whenever it is to do your end of year summary for this yera and get the figures straight for next year.

GypsyMoth · 13/02/2009 19:45

Kids are adaptable,he'll be fine

ThingOne · 13/02/2009 19:46

Sorry to hear that your DH has lost his job and I hope he gets another one soon.

In the meantime I'm sure your son and husband can enjoy the time together. I wouldn't worry about upsetting him by taking him out of nursery. The novelty of daddy to himself during the week will get him over that hurdle.

Are you able to do more hours in your job?

Ivykaty44 · 13/02/2009 19:47

I would have thought the time spent with his dad and doing some bonding would be a really good time for your ds, and if your dh gets a job a few weeks or months down the line I am sure the experiance of settling down into nursery will only help when it comes to going to school as your son will grow used to handling change.

It is a while since I have paid nursery fees - how much are they now for a nursery place?

Original poster
vtiredmummy · 13/02/2009 19:48

when i said 'can't be worse' I was referring to the Aussie tax credit system btw. Not my current situation. I know I am very fortunate in many other ways, and I am thankful for that.

But after what Ivykatie said it sounds like their system in Oz is just as bad - aargh!

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 13/02/2009 19:55

actually, I think you are being unreasonable.

your ds will survive with being taken out of nursery.

when will people in this country stop relying on the government to support them???? not aimed just at the OP here, but just society in general.

IO feel for you, I really do... but tbh you could have made provisions for this,
my partner and I took out a lower mortgage and ended up with a smaller house as a result of that, so that we could afford to pay for life insurance and PPI.
this means that if either of us lose a job we get payments so that we can pay the mortgage and don't lose our house..

your life and your house are YOUR responsibility. and you have to prepare for and deal with stuff like this

Original poster
vtiredmummy · 13/02/2009 19:58

rimmer I think your comment was a little harsh. I never once said anything about paying my taxes 'to support people on benefits' Nor was that what I meant. I meant that as does anyone with a certain income I have paid what I have to, not resenting doing so. I have good friends who are on benefits through circumstance. And now we have fallen on difficult times we need a bit of financial assistance to get us through it. That's all.

I must remember to take my mindreading course soon so I know in advance when dh is going to be made redundant again, and we can stockpile a la Joseph and his technicolour dreamcoat

OP posts:
wasaconventgirl · 13/02/2009 19:58

"I am just concerned we take him out, then a couple of months dh gets a job (here's hoping!) then we can't get him back into nursery as it is a popular one with a waiting list. Then poor ds goes through the whole settling in process at a new nursery once again. Maybe it wouldn't be as tough for him second time around? he really struggled first time..."

I'm afraid that nursery fees are a luxury that if you can't afford you can't have! Have you got savings to cover the fees for a fee months?

wasaconventgirl · 13/02/2009 19:58

'few'

choufleur · 13/02/2009 20:00

if you are struggling with the mortgae try calling the housnig options centre at your local council. many councils are offering mortgage rescue scheme, where some, if not all, of the interest on your mortage gets paid in certain circumstances. I don't know what the criteria are but worth a call.

duckyfuzz · 13/02/2009 20:00

It is a pain that you will have to wait a year to get anything from tax credits, but at the same time the threshold is pretty high for receiving them, so he must have been earnign a fair amount. The recession has been predicted for some time now, most people have been making provisions for redundancy

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