Complicated situation. I'm a freelancer and have just about been making enough income to cover the minimum needed to get 30hours and tax free childcare. In October my coverage vanished unexpectedly and after a phone call or was re-established when childcare service informed me that my secondary income (rental income) counted towards my contributions. They could see this in my tax assessment, we use an accountant and we pay everything we need to, all above board.
At end of the tax year I get an email asking for proof of income, payslips, bank statements etc and I called them to say I don't have payslips and explain about the situation and how they wanted me to prove the rental income as it doesn't come into my current account (the tax is attributed to me though, again this is fine according to our accountant)
They say that the rental DOSNT count towards my contributions and after digging it seems it only counts if NI has been payed on it. I get child benefit so didn't see the point. We can't back date.
Heres the thing. On the back of the information I got in October I deliberately have been paying myself less to pay myself dividends to take advantage of zero tax threshold etc, but without the rental income my salary is now under the threshold. Only by a few hundred but under.
I plan to do a mandate review which may offer compensation and a manager should call me back in the next couple of days but does anyone know if it's likely I'll get anywhere?
We had the money in the business account which we can prove, I just didn't pay myself a safety for those two months.
Was it my responsibility to be up on the rules despite being advised wrongly? It's the difference of about £400 per month I will need to pay without those 15 free hours.
Any experience? Please help!