claiming working tax credit when self employed

[draughtywindows]

Hi there, can anyone tell me a bit about claiming WTC when self employed? As a soon to be lone parent, I think I need to show that I'm working a minimum of 16 hours a week to claim, which is fine, I probably work 3 days pw on average, but I wondered how you prove this if you're self employed. Do they look at earnings over your tax year? Or just take your word for it?

If anyone has any advice, I'd be grateful, thank you.

Im interested to know about this too.

I do this. I just called the number for tax credits and told them when I was working 16+ hours a week. They believed me. I do keep tabs on my earnings in a book, though not my hours. I can't remember how much info they requested, but I also do fill out the annual self-assessment.

I'm a LP too, by the way

Im not a loan parent and my partner works. Is it worth my trying to claim this? I don't know much about this things. Is it to help with childcare? I get them all muddled up! We did used to get ctc but that stopped.

They asked me nothing. just took my unique tax reference from me.

I always do my tax return and tax credits at the same time as they ask for the same information.

It's pretty easy once set up. I had help from a Job Centre scheme called New Deal for Lone Parents, I don't know if it's still running under a different name.

They've never asked for actual proof of my hours or earnings, I've kept records ever since the start just in case though - now on second large cardboard box of diaries, receipts, statements etc etc.

"Is it worth my trying to claim this?"

There's a very good benefit checker at www.turn2us.org.uk. Fill it out with your earnings, hours, childcare costs and anything else it prompts for and it'll give you a very good idea if you're entitled to claim anything or not.