Why is the TC calculator telling me we won't be entitled to WTC?

[olaflikeswarmhugs]

Dh and I are both entering full time education in the next few weeks . Dh is either going to work 24 or 36 hours per week . I'm leaving work but will do the odd shift on a sessional basis .

We will also be paying a childminder.

I understood it as if you work over 24 hours per week (one of you has to work more than 16 hours) you qualified for WTC .

I've been messing about with the calculator to see what the best option for us is but no matter what it keeps telling me we won't be entitled to WTC ? I can't figure out why we won't be entitled to it

The calculator also says I am not entitled to anything even though I am paying for childcare for 3 children and according to their entitlement table our joint income would entitle us to WTC! I think it is best just to apply and see what they assess.

I thought both people need to be working over 16 to qualify?

WTC is made of 2 separate parts, one is simply income based and the other is for child care. The childcare element you both have to be working over 16 hours per week, and the earnings threshold is higher. The income based section has a cut off around £16k household income and requires 1 person to work min 24 hours per week, or single parent to work min 16 hours per week.

Sorry, pressed send too soon.

So if you are only working occasionally on a seasonal basis you wouldn't get help with childcare through tax credits as you could be looking after the children as you are not working. You need to speak to your student services to see if the college / uni offer help to student parents.

Ah ok . SAAS do offer a childcare grant , but it's something like 1/5 of my total costs

And I'm not even paying full price because it's my mum (who is a registered cm before you ask)

I feel sorry for students who have to pay full whack

I am due to start back at uni soon too and had a meeting yesterday with the finance welfare people. They advised I'd be better off using the childcare tax credits which will pay up to 70% of my costs rather than anything the uni could offer.
Could you not both carry on working part time around your courses?

I wish I could but it's nursing I'm doing so I won't be able to work a lot .

You only get the childcare part if both of you are working over a minimum no. Of hours - but you can can average your hours over the year I believe. If you have been full time this year April - September, and then work out how much you will work for the rest of the year - you might have to do quite a few hours in holidays though. Then work out what your average weekly hours are for the whole year and see if that scrapes you above the minimum hours requirement.

Also, when filling in the calc it asks for last years figures 2013/14. Try it with what your earnings will be for the whole of 2014/15 as I expect that will be quite a bit lower. You can ask tax credits for an in year assessment if your earrings have dropped by more than 2.5k (or you can just wait at get a rebate after April 2015)

If you can do 16 hours you would be much better off. I did midwifery and during my 2nd and 3rd years worked 16 hours a week on top of my training.

Hard yes, but certainly doable. Even with children, and coursework plus placement.

I had a zero hour contract as a home carer. So I'd do a full day at the weekend where possible and one or two evening shifts a week to make my hours up. Placements will be accommodating as far as possible as long as you are upfront and say if possible I'd like to avoid working both weekend days in the same week in order to do some paid work.

Additionally if the trust you are placed at work long days, it's even easier.

You will certainly be entitled to child tax credit if its only your husband working though.