Can anyone help me please with what seems to be alot of contradictions within WTC. My partner has got back into work but for the time being has only been offered a 20 hour contract, i myself care full time for my youngest daughter. I rang up WTC this morning to ask if we are entitled to claim but in a thick Scottish accent (i struggled to understand) was told carers does not count towards WTC and partner needs to work 24 hours to qualify. Now on the entitled to web site it states -
The number of hours you need to work to qualify for Working Tax Credit has increased. Previously if you had children you needed to work a minimum of 16 hours a week to qualify. The new rule is that couples with children need to work a minimum of 24 hours between them to qualify, with one person working at least 16 hours.
There are a number of exceptions to this new rule. These are where:
The person working 16+ hours is disabled and qualifies for Working Tax Credit disability element.
The person working 16+ hours is aged 60 or over^
<strong>The person not working is entitled to Carer’s Allowance</strong>
^The person not working is 'incapacitated' (for more information see HMRC's guidance on the meaning of incapacitated)
The person not working is an in-patient in hospital or in prison^
Ive made bold the points i think is correct for us, so am i right in saying my partner can work his 20 hours and still claim WTC as long as im caring full time?
Thank you in advance but its all very vague and the tax credits advisor didn't sound 100% either.