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Original poster

Tax Credits- please help

24 replies

T24LLA · 20/12/2018 14:27

Hi all.
I’m new to Mumsnet and this is my first thread .
I’m a mum of 4- all under 5 with my youngest being 10wk old Twins.
I really don’t want to return to work when my 26 weeks full pay is up... I don’t feel I can go back at all as I’m needed at home more. I’ve been looking at what benefits I would be entitled to should I give up work but hubbys wage isn’t enough to support the 6 of us if I become a full time mum but we also earn too much to receive anything going by the tax credit calculator. Please can someone advise what happens in the 12 months between me (hopefully) giving up work and when tax credits are calculated again. £250 child benefit isn’t enough for me to live on.
Thanks everyone xx

OP posts:

gamerchick · 20/12/2018 14:30

It doesn't sound as if you can afford to give up work.

Tax credits go on the previous year but you don't know when they'll be moved over the UC.

Madwomanuptheroad · 20/12/2018 14:34

You will not receive extra tax credits or childbenefit for your twins. Since April 2017 you can only get benefits for the first two children.

Gogreen · 20/12/2018 14:35

When you leave work, you ring and tell them and let them know how much your income for that tax year will be, if you’ve already earnt a lot in that tax year so far you won’t get much help. If you do get help, remember every £1 you go over the total that you told them you was going to earn, you own them 40p on every pound....that soon adds up big, trust me.

Best find a way to live without tax credits, if you can, it’s a total nightmare and will keep you poor with a massive bill of grands if you ever get a pay rise or try to earn more money!

Totally ridiculous!

Also don’t forget that with a guesstimate in your income for that tax year....DISREGARDS DO NOT APPLY.

All the best, it’s a total nightmare with moving goal posts.

Original poster

T24LLA · 20/12/2018 14:36

So what would happen in the meantime. Would I only be entitled to child benefit for those 12 months before they would take the fact I'm out of work into the equation?

OP posts:

Gogreen · 20/12/2018 14:37

Also if you try and claim, you may loose benifits for your other 2 children, as then they will only help with the first 2

Turquoisetamborine · 20/12/2018 14:40

Unless someone is in receipt of DLA or PIP in your household you won’t get any more money than for the first two children born, other than child benefit.

Sugarhunnyicedtea · 20/12/2018 14:41

You would need to be able to live on your husband's wages and child benefit. Even if tax credits are recalculated I don't think you'll get anything additional as it's capped at 2 children.
Have you tried the calculator with just your husband's wages?

Gogreen · 20/12/2018 14:41

No, a tax year is April to April.

When you don’t work you call and tell them as it’s a change in circumstance. They will ask how much you will/have earned in the entire tax year you are currently in, once you tell them they will give you benefits based on that figure. If you earn under...it’s tough, you don’t get more, if you earn above....your in hot water.
Once my OH did over time and earnt a extra 3k that year, because that took him over a ‘band’ we had to pay them £2600! It didn’t pay to work harder and try to better ourselves!

icannotremember · 20/12/2018 14:41

You can always try the entitled to calculator if you haven't already- you might need to try fiddling around a bit, answering as if your projected out-of-work income is your current income, etc.

Gogreen · 20/12/2018 14:44

Basically...if you can’t afford to have children....then don’t have them

Also

If you try to work harder to afford your children whilst on tax credits.....we will knock you back down so you worked harder for nothing.

dementedpixie · 20/12/2018 14:53

You do get Child Benefit for all children. It is just tax credits that are capped at 2

dementedpixie · 20/12/2018 15:01

There is a actually an exception that does pay extra money if you have 2 kids and then have a multiple birth (I.e. your twins).

You can get extra Universal Credit for your third and subsequent children if they are born as part of a multiple birth, apart from one child in that birth. This means the exception applies to the additional children in that birth.

For example, if you’re already getting additional amounts of Universal Credit for 2 existing children, then you have twins, we’ll pay an extra additional child amount of Universal Credit for one of those twins (meaning that in total you’ll be entitled to an amount for 3 out of your 4 children).

Where the first child of the multiple birth is either the first or second child in the household, we’ll pay a child amount for all the children born as part of the multiple birth.

Original poster

T24LLA · 20/12/2018 15:01

Thanks everyone greatly appreciated. xx
I was under the impression that I wouldn't get anymore CB for the twins but I'm classed as an 'exception' so do get it for all 4.
TC-Deep down that's exactly what I thought would happen. Over the months we have used the calculator with no joy so I will have to go back to work as without my monthly wage we would be worse off. From memory we would be over the threshold but was just hoping someone with experience of this would say I would be entitled to something.

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 20/12/2018 15:02

Child benefit can be claimed for all children. Are you in a universal credit area?

dementedpixie · 20/12/2018 15:04

There is no cap on the amount of children you can claim child benefit for. In the case of the multiple birth 'exception' you would get money for 3 out of the 4 children

dementedpixie · 20/12/2018 15:04

In universal credit that should say

Raver84 · 20/12/2018 16:22

I think you need to write down all your outgoing and see if you can live on your husbands wage and child benefit. I also have 4 young children and the only feasible option for me was to work evening and weekend and nights around dh job as then I don't have childcare and am around for school hols so no holiday clubs to pay for. It works well for us and might be worth looking into. It will also give you time away from four young kids which is sometimes lovely.
When I was a sahm I did save loads of money as I had very little travel., work clothes etc to buy for. I could do loads of home cooking etc. Have a look at the numbers again.

Babyroobs · 20/12/2018 17:33

Such nasty comments on here and also poor advice. You can get tax credits for one of the twins. I have been where you are with 4 small children and I did mange to keep working nights and weekends around my dh but it was very difficult and I don't blame you for feeling you need to stay home.

Babyroobs · 20/12/2018 17:34

Just to add- if you don't already get child tax credits then it would be Universal credit you need to claim but it would still depend on your husband's wages whether you are able to claim.

lazymum99 · 20/12/2018 17:35

Stop telling her to check if she is in a UC area. You cannot claim UC if you have more than 2 children. System not set up for that.

lazymum99 · 20/12/2018 17:36

yet.

lazymum99 · 20/12/2018 17:39

Multiple birth
If a further pregnancy results in a multiple birth on or after 6 April 2017, you’ll get the child element for all but one of those children.
From gov.uk website:

For example, if you already get Child Tax Credit for 2 or more children and you have twins, you’ll get the child element for one of the twins. If you have triplets, you’ll get the child element for 2 of the triplets.

Where the first child of the multiple birth is either the first or second child in the household, we’ll pay a child amount for all the children born as part of the multiple birth.

lazymum99 · 20/12/2018 17:40

The above is from gov.uk website

Babyroobs · 20/12/2018 18:24

Sorry forgot about the 3 child rule and UC - you wouldn't be able to claim until 1st feb 2019.

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