the new tax credit rules

[NotSuchASmugMarriedNow]

as a single parent will i have to work 24 hours a week when the new tax credits system comes into effect in order to claim WTC. I am currently working 18-20 hours a week and really struggle to get my employer to give extra house because everyone else seems to want them.

It must be really hard for someone in your position who wants to work more and can't.

But I beleive they have brought it in as there are a lot of people who intentionally work 16 hours a week only and then top this up with tax credits.. when you think about it it's not entirely fair that people can choose 16 hours a week as a lifestyle choice when they could do more - leaving every one else to pick up the tab.

The previous government set the 16 hours (IMO) so that people who worked this many hours could be considered as "employed" and not living off benefits, hence their figures looked more attractive. How ever, there are many people who are working 16 hours a week on minimum wage who (partcularly if they have kids) are living on benefits... the benefits are just dressed up as "working tax credits" despite the fact they claim more than they earn.. and certainly a hell of a lot more than they contribute in tax.

I hope your employer gives you more hours as I imagine this must be quite scary for you.

Are you talking about Universal Credit that the government is planning to introduce in 2013?

If so, from what I understand, you will be expected to work 20 hours per week if your children are under 13 and 35 hours per week if your children are 13 or over.

No it's just the standared CTC and WTC. It comes in to affect in April

Is this only if your married or have a live in partner, I didn't think it applied to single patents?? I hope not

Single parents!

Oh gawd = what's happening then?

I just had a look on the HMR website here and susiedaisy is right, it just affects couples - together the couple will have to work at least 24 hours to qualify for working tax credit.

Ooh, I don't know then... susie may be right

Changes to tax credits are happening from 6 April 2012. These include a lower income limit for Child Tax Credit. For couples with at least one child, there are new working hours rules for Working Tax Credit. How far payments can be backdated is also changing. Find out about these and all the other changes, and how they might affect you.

Hope this copy and pasted ok I am not great at doing this, I think wtc will change for couples not single parents,

Well done Corlan - cleared it up!

Ok so the first paragraph of my post is directly off the tax credit website

corlan thanks for the link I really must learn how to do that thank god it's only for couples not for single parents, my stomach went into knots for a moment!

Me too - I'm starting to get a bit paranoid with all the changes coming in!

Sorry to bump an old thread but a friend of mine just phoned me to ask if these changes affect her. She works 16 hours a week in a supermarket and gets DLA and working tax credits and is single with no children.
she gets middle rate care dla and lower help with getting around.