...to feel a bit peeved?

[whispywhisp]

Ok...so I work, part-time, as a Home Help...I love my work and love the ladies/gents that I go to who are either elderly or infirm, or both. The hours I can manage and the cash is extremely useful.

The company I get the work from rang me today to offer me some more clients - I replied that yes I'd love to do them but to bare in mind that in a few weeks the kids are off for 6 weeks summer.....(I have two children, both at school). They then replied that they wouldn't offer me the work if I can't keep them permanently and unless I can arrange child-care cover for the Summer holidays they wouldn't let me have the work even for the next few weeks. They asked why I have no one who can have the kids (DH's parents cut their ties years ago, my sister and brother really aren't interested in my kids and my Mum won't even have them and I have asked quite a few times in the past)...and could I not do all the ladies on one day and just get someone to have the kids for the day?...WHO? I don't have anyone. All my mates have parents, in-laws, various members of family who help them and I don't have any mates who aren't already busy with their own kids. I asked why they wouldn't atleast let me do the work, even for a few weeks and they replied because they like continuity.

I am fed up, absolutely fed up, with me being on constant call for the children - yes I love them dearly but its always ME who has to manage, constantly juggle and desperately needs to work for the money. We can't live off DH's wages all the time.

I see there is a thread running at the moment in Chat concerning how wonderful parents-in-laws are....its a lovely thread to read but I've never had that help and at times like this I find it really hard to keep going.

[RockSteady]

i understand why you're peeved, it must be so hard having noone else to rely on.I'm lucky in that I have lots of willing help and I don't know how I'd get by without them so you have my sympathy.

wrt the other stuff, declare your earnings so that you can claim working tax credits and then hopefully you would recieve money towards childcare too. I don't think you'll end up paying tax on what you are earning as its so low.

[mumbar]

korma

maybe i'm wrong who knows its late at night!!

All i know is when friends dh owned a retaurant they claimed ctc and wtc and he paid tax and when he sold it and got a paid job for less income ctc and wtc stopped.

I thought tax was paid on household income but i could be talking bollox. as a working single mum i just pay tax on my wages.

sorry if i got it wrong and offended you or anyone else.

[mumbar]

sorry milly typed this and then saw your earlier post

[mumbar]

OP if you are working cash in hand and paid by client you are self employed and should be doing your own tax return. You would then be entitled to CTC and WTC as only profit would count as income.

You are dwinding yourself as well as us.

[MillyR]

I think the childcare situation here is that, if the OP is not entitled to childcare tax credits and she has no friends to share childcare with, then she has to work out the cost of childcare for the year and the amount she makes working for the year.

So if she earns 5,120 a year and her childcare costs are 720 a year (as she works part time hours and only pays for the summer holiday), then it is worth going to work.

This is assuming that she and her husband do not work 52 weeks a year, and so is with the children for the other holiday periods (Easter etc).

[fireupthequattro]

i wouldn't take money off a neighbour for doing some shopping.

But you are not doing it as a favour for a neighbour, you are doing it for several people as a method of income.

There's no need to get defensive, people were only trying to point out that you may be entitled to some benefits.

[whispywhisp]

I'm just glad I'm not one of the 1000s of people who live in this country who claim benefits and also go to work....then you'd really have something to shout about! Makes my pennies that I earn each week become quite insignificant, imo.

[MillyR]

There was a similar case to this in the Manchester Evening News a while back. A woman did not declare her income and was fined a huge amount. This was done even though the woman would have had a higher income as a result of tax credits if she had declared the income.

[HappyMummyOfOne]

"and happymummyofone - whispy didnt ask for your sympathy, she was simply soundng off at the constant drain of it all. im guessing from your name that you are a smug parent of one young child. no doubt you are a sahm too ?"

Disagreeing with someone doing something illegal does not make me smug, it simply means I have morals.

I've already said in this post I work - what that has to do with it I dont know anyway. Its a no brainer, if you have no free family childcare and want to work then paying for childcare is the only option.

[whispywhisp]

One final question to you all....

If your neighbour asked you to go and get him/her some shopping and pay you for doing so...do you declare that? Somehow I think not.

[HappySlapper]

Nobody mentioned benefits kormachameleon - I was just asking. I am a single, full time working mum, and I have also been on benefits once or twice. There is no hidden agenda, I was just asking.

[whispywhisp]

Thank you Korma.

I started this thread cos I was so down and fed up. I sure as hell feel tons better now, NOT. I'll leave this now. No point continuing.

[fuzzywuzzy]

if you did declare it you would get tax credits etc. £60 a week is below the tax threshold so you wouldnt be charged tax.

You'd be able to claim SSP if you were off ill for a prolonged period of time if you declared your income.

[fireupthequattro]

I'm sorry to disappoint but what you are doing is 100% illegal.

You absolutely have to declare it, even if it is below the threshold. You won't have a leg to stand on blaming the company or the old people as it is your responsibility to do this.

You won't have to pay tax but you absolutely must declare it.

[MillyR]

Whispy, it is not up to the organisation to sort out your tax returns. It is up to you.

[MillyR]

Korma - because if she declares herself as working she may be entitled to more tax credits, and as her income is low she would not be taxed. So she would be better off.

[Portofino]

So the elder;y people pay you direct?

[whispywhisp]

No, I don't pay tax nor NI. I don't earn anywhere near enough.

Millions of people in this country, I am sure, do cash-in-hand work and don't declare it....it is not illegal because I work for the client themselves and I work bloody hard for my money too! I don't claim benefits, never have and hope I never will...what I do IS NOT illegal. If it were I'm sure the organisation that give me my work would be telling me so!

[MillyR]

Unless your husband is on a high income, if you declared yourself as working you could be entitled to tax credits to cover childcare costs.

[HappySlapper]

whispywhisp, all due respect, like, but what a crock of shit! You don't get paid by your employer?? It doesn't matter who hands over the cash, you still get PAID

[MillyR]

So read the whole page linked to. If you are not an employee then you are considered by the Government to be self employed. You have to fill in tax returns even if your income is below the tax threshold.