Tax credits will stop

[Morgan97]

Well everyone I've been on this site to help me through my problems with tax credits or lack of them! In case none of you know if the Tory's get in this week they WILL stop tax credits. PLEASE support me in this and DON'T vote them in again. They don't care about us ordinary people they care about making the rich richer and the poor poorer!!VOTE FOR ED he's made his promise set in stone.

I was homeless when I first left my abusive ex and travelled 500 miles to get away from him,yes I'm on the waiting list for all the good it's done. I've spent the last few months listening to what's right n what's wrong,now I find myself in a position where I have to make a choice,food or bills I will make my opinions known i cannot leave this,I'm not forcing anyone not to vote Tory just saying what I've seen heard and listened have made me realize that something isn't quite right with the way this country is run.

Tax Credits are part of the tax system.

They ARE being scrapped and replaced with a benefit.

There are big differences between UC and WTC, it's much more than just words.

For example, under UC, if you work part time and earn less than the equivalent of NMW full-time, then you will be expected to be looking for a full time job.

Thousands if people who work part time on low wages and currently get a top up, will start being treated as if they are unemployed. They will need to prove they're looking for work, just like people on JSA do now, and will be subject to conditionality - so if you don't do what the job centre says you lose your top up.

They could for example find you a dead-end job with more hours but no prospects, and effectively force you to give up the job you have to take it.

Under UC you will also find even more working people being sanctioned, resulting in homelessness or having to visit food banks to survive.

The current tax credit system has to change.it is ridiculous that people get so much free money for choosing not to work or choosing to work very few hours. I have a colleauge who won't work more than one day a week in case her tax credits get affected ( she has one 15 yr old dd.). Other lone parents want to work more hours but won't because their tax credits will be cut and they won't be better off. Some get loads of money from their ex's in child maintainence yet still get hundreds in tax credits each month. Bonkers. I sncerely hope someone gets into power who will continue to change this daft system. We both work ful time to support our kids and get nothing in benefits wilst others can be paid to stay at home. Fed up of it.

Sorry but tax credits and should only be given to people on very low wages. And not be propping up people who choose to work part-time hours. So I won't be voting labour. Not sure who I'm voting for yet but it won't be Labour.

I won't be voting labour either. I'm sorry that your lone parent tax credits have been stopped, that is something which needs looking into as a lot of lone parents have had problems. However it doesn't mean that tax credits should continue, the system is long overdue an overhaul. The labour Government allowed half the poulation to become dependent on benefits and now it will be hard to withdraw them or change the system but somene need to try.

You need to get advice if tax credits have stopped due to HMRC believing you're in a relationship. They sent me a letter querying this as well, but I just sent them back the evidence they requested and the claim was allowed without further questions. CAB or any other local advice agency will help. They can also do a check to see how you'd be affected by Universal Credit. I have had the calculations done and my income wouldn't be affected as I have a carer status. But many people who work part-time or those who are self employed will face a drastic change.

Thank you cardboardcar,I too had a letter in 2012 sent evidence no change this year same letter same evidence as circumstances not changed but claim stopped!! Will be seeking legal advice about this as I've been truthful all along I appreciate your advice

under UC, if you work part time and earn less than the equivalent of NMW full-time, then you will be expected to be looking for a full time job.

And the problem with that is? I think if people can work more hours and be less reliant on benefits then they should.
I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a couple to work 35 hours each week between them (which is what I understand they will be expected to do unless they earn more than NMW and then they can work less hours).
If somebody is expected to give up a part time job to take a full time NMW job then the part time job is not paying enough for them to be exempted from the 35 hour rule. I don't think we should be paying top up benefits to somebody in part time work who could earn more each week in a different job but doesn't want the other job because the hourly wage is less and they think it is beneath them. Of course they could keep the part time job and take a second part time job to top up their hours, there won't be any rule to stop them doing that.
There will be exemptions to the 35 hour NMW rule- in particular carers and lone parents.
I won't be voting Tory but I do agree with these changes because I know too many people who could work more hours and have been offered more hours by their employers but turn down the additional work to keep themselves to 24 hours if they are a couple or 16 hours if they are a lone parent because those hours maximise tax credits for minimal working hours.

I wish this was true. Tax credits are utterly bonkers.

Whatever party gets in there will be massive cuts to welfare because as a country we are spending more than we earn (and borrowing the difference). This is totally unsustainable. At least the Tories have the balls to admit this.

FOr any one interested, here is the UC calculator
universal-benefit-calculator.co.uk/universalcredit

The sooner UC comes in the better, it's one of the reasons
I will vote for them. For too long people have worked few hours or not at all in the knowledge that tax credits will just pay out. The sooner they go, the better.

Me too LittleMonster. I'm thoroughly fed up of working all hours to support my kids whilst others stay at home and claim tax credits even when their kids are teenagers. Changes are long overdue.

I think they want to get rid of them too, and child benefit

I just hope to god that enough people wake up and vote them out on thursday

and morgan that's disgusting what they have done to you

has happened to loads of my friends who are single parents as well

sending random letters out hoping to catch people cheating the system (when in reality only about 0.01% of claims are fraudulent) then the claimants have to jump through hoops to "prove" what is the truth anyway!! and half they time they stop money that people RELY on, that feeds children

its fucking vile and inhuman

Facts:

1. Osborne announced a two-year freeze on in-work benefits at the 2014 conference last autumn. Also a further two-year freeze on public sector wages.

The chancellor’s move, which will cut £3bn a year from the welfare budget, will hit the poorest third in society most and see in-work families with children lose as much as £490 a year in child benefit and tax credits. The average loss will be £300 a year per household but will vary greatly.

1. Universal Credit is being rolled out nationally and tax credit is included in it. The DWP will have wide-ranging powers to decide recipients are not working hard enough or earning enough, and to determine that a fledgling business isn't making enough money. Failure to comply with DWP requirements, even if they're profoundly stupid, will result in cessation of benefits.

So it's not as bad as what you've heard, OP. It's unpleasant enough though.

That said, tax credits were only ever meant as a stop-gap measure while the problems of very low wages were addressed (or ignored.) It's slightly mad to have HMRC serving out benefits, and that does need to change somehow.

YY, White and morgan, they do do this

White yes it's disgusting to put me and others in this position,yes they've got me jumping through hoops to prove I'm single! I've been honest with them,when I first claimed tax credits they didn't ask if I shared my home with another adult only if I was in a relationship! I told them right from the start i shared a house with another adult! They have left me with my wage and child benefit to live on. I face becoming homeless as I can't afford to pay my way,so I will have to find somewhere else to live and claim housing benefit to afford to do this putting more of a strain on benefits. Total madness if you ask me. I've worked all my life since leaving school in the 1970s. Discraceful treatment and disgraceful comments from people who haven't got a clue,walk in my shoes for a week I commented,and surprise surprise no more nasty comments.

Surely you can't have much longer to claim tax credits for anyway of you left school in the 1970's as your child can't be far off leaving school/college age.

Of course they have the right to insist on proof that you are single. Your other posts suggest you live rent free with a man and have done for a number of years. Can you not see why that flags alarm bells? No tenancy agreement, free rent and just a share of the bills being paid that the only proof is a letter he wrote. If you wish to work part time and claim the rest of your money from the state you need to comply with their requirements.

Without spot checks there would be far more fraud.

Little monstersrule my youngest child is 11 and started secondary school last year. I left school in 1979 and have worked since then only taking maternity leave. Yes of course I understand how my situation looks to outsiders believe it or not I'm not the only one living like this,if I shared a house with ten men would it be assumed that I'm in a relationship with all of them? Do you see my point? As said previously I've been honest from the start with tax credits I'm in a desperate situation where my choice is to buy food or pay bills it seems that being honest doesn't work maybe I should have taken a tax credits member of staffs advice and made a joint claim with the person who I share with yes he really suggested I do that!

"And the problem with that is? I think if people can work more hours and be less reliant on benefits then they should."

You misunderstand me.

My problem is not that they want to encourage part time workers to take full employment, but how they are going about it.

They are going to put part time workers through the same deeply flawed system that's being used by the DWP now, a sysem which has taken away the safety net completely for many, mostly through the use of sanctions, including the disabled, dying and many vulnerable people.

The kind of system that leads to stories like this being common. That's what I have a problem with.

"A letter from a desperate mother:

Trish Lewis Walton

My son was diagnosed with testicular cancer on 28th nov so he couldn’t go for an jobseekers appointment on 4th dec. He rang them and explained why he couldn’t go and they still sanctioned him. He had his op on 12th dec to have cancer removed and a further ct scan on 17th dec revealed the cancer has now spread to his lymph nodes in chest and stomach and both of his lungs so he was immediately admitted to hosp to start intensive chemo. A social worker from click sargeant rang them and explained he would not be signing on because of this and they are still refusing to give him any money. He’s had nothing since around 23rd nov. Apart from a horrible xmas, he has now filled in forms for esa which haven’t even been received yet into their office so he’s still gonna have no money. Can anyone recommend what he does now as we have been on the phone and got nowhere with them, they just aren’t interested. David Cameron has screwed this country over good and proper."

From this page

Plenty more stories like that sadly.

wiggly I don't agree with the current system of sanctions, I think people are sanctioned unfairly and sometimes can't do right no matter how hard they try. I do agree with the principle of making people work more hours if they are part time, reliant on benefits and more work hours are available. I agree with the underlying principles of the changes but not the way that they are implemented.

They will also make you look for other jobs if they don't think you're earning enough. You will have to do job-seeking activities, attend meetings and take up interviews while you're supposed to be at your own job.

This applies to anyone receiving any income-related benefits under the new rules.

Sorry, should have clarified this applies to full-time jobs too.

I thought as long as you are earning the equivalent of NMW for 35 hours per week (single person without children or 35 hours between a couple with children) then you were exempt from seeking other work. Have I got that wrong? If I have got it wrong could you please direct me or post a link explaining the rules.