I've been to see the Lone Parent Advisor and am now more confused than I was before!!!

[zmandaz]

Ok, so I'm hoping to go to work in spring next year, once I've passed all my exams. I understand you have to work 16 hours plus to get all the benefits but what I want to know is that I'm going to be self employed and working for a small, family company. I'll probably be paid in cash or cheque and won't get a pay slip or anything like that. So how do they know how much I've worked and how much tax credits etc I'll receive? Do they pay you it in advance then take some back if they've overpaid? The line of work I'm going into depends on what bookings I can get so whilst I aim to do 16 hours a week, it'll depend on not getting any cancellations etc. I know I have to do my own tax returns but that'll be yearly and the guy today said I'd get the benefits weekly. I'm confused and he really didn't help. Does anyone know how it works when you're self employed? Thanks in advance

not entirely sure but the WTC and CTC are figured out yearly, then the money comes weekly or monthly I think... they make the amount divide between 52 or 12 I assume.

LPAs are as helpful as chocolate fireguards! you may be better talking to the tax office instead

you should still get wage slips regardless of how you are being paid, where tax credits are concerned you would have to estimate how much you are going to earn and they will adjust it afterwards, the only thing about doing work like that is that it can cause a mess when sorting out benefits, can you not just do that job as extra to another job incase you dont get any work ?

The thing is I really want to do this job as it's really well paid and I've put a lot of money and time into the training. Once I'm qualified I'll be able to pick the hours I work and I'll have a car too, plus it's an established business. It's very flexible so I can always make my hours up if I need to. If they work it out on a yearly forcast then that's not so bad. I know I have to keep track of the hours I work and my wages for when I do my tax returns. It really is mind boggling though and I found the LPA really unhelpful. Apparantly I'll get help from a self employment adviser nearer the time so hopefully they'll make it a bit clearer for me! Thanks for the replies though.

its definately worth doing then, good luck with it as you have to start somewhere