Self Employed & Working Tax Credit - Help!

[icedcoffeenow]

So, as a lot of people I'm currently struggling with money. I'm a single mum of 2 who I share 50/50 with the Dad. I'm self employed and my money fluctuates from month to month. I had a look the other day to see if I was entitled to any financial help and it is asking me to provide my predicted income for the month ahead. For me this is difficult to do. I cant always predict what work will be completed and invoiced and I can't guarantee who will pay in the month ahead. Is it possible to claim financial help when you're self employed? Any advice would be appreciated! Last thing I want to do is accidentally claim too much and end up paying it back. (For a bit of guidance, I've earnt approx £30K this last year. Not a bad salary when sharing finances with someone else but really struggling with this income on my own).

I’m not sure if you will be able to claim on that sort of money, are those profits?, do you claim already and have gone self employed or are you now starting a claim?

Are you thinking of making a new claim? Doesn't it have to be for Universal Credit rather than Working Tax Credit since they are phasing Tax Credits out?

If this is a new claim it is universal credit. This is calculated monthly so there can be an issue with self employment. If you are expected to work and your main income is self employed work then you may be affected by minimum income floor.

One thing to decide with your ex is who will be the main carer for the children (even with shared residence benefit system will have one or the other).

if you are on tax credits now then you can stay on or add working tax credit to child tax credit. The calculation is a bit more difficult but it is annual so smoothesvout the months.
Government link on self employment

@Whatsnextfor yes, £30K profit. Haven't claimed before and I've been self employed for years. I must admit, I dont think I can claim but when I've looked in to it it's asking for monthly pay (which fluctuates), I cant seem to find somewhere you can put your previous annual profit in and it say you aren't eligible.

@Saracen It's a new claim, and you're probably right. I've never claimed before so no idea what the current benefits system is called.

@Bagzzz thanks for that, I'll have a look. I do currently get the child benefit, but never claimed for anything else.

Sorry just to add on I’ve been claiming universal credits but then have gone self employed today! They have given me a 12 month le way for the floor level then after a year they would just assume I was doing the hours in my commitments x minimum wage and that’s what they base it on (so if you earn less you would be at a loss)

there is I think on the gov website a cap on the benefits and I’m sure it’s around 20,000 but might be wrong

can their be a big disparity between what you earn month to month?

@Whatsnextfor hiya, I went through the calculator this morning and not entitled to anything except child benefit. It would be easier if they just said what the maximum earnings would be but think they take in to account childcare costs (which I don't have). Nevermind, will just have to try make savings elsewhere.
Unfortunately my income does fluctuate quite significantly which wasn't an issue when I was with my ex but a bit harder to manage on my own. I have no idea how people earning less than this can survive (I'm aware a £30k income is good). Thanks for the help and good luck on your self employed venture!

There isn’t a set amount for earnings because the maximum can be different- from a fir a self employed single adult age 24 living with family £265 to a couple renting with disabled children one a carer but self employed and the other too ill to work. They have much higher maximum. the worker allowed a work allowance before profit affects universal credit and no minimum income floor due to the worker being a carer.