Tax credit changes - worrying of one person works less than 24 hours

[AgnesDiPesto]

guardian article

when do the letters get sent out with a breakdown of tax credits you will receive over the next year?

Is it about May after end of tax year?
Not clear if they count caring hours as work? Doesn't look like it

Anyone know if the needing to work 24 hours to be eligible for working tax credits means that the cut off for receiving free school meals/prescriptions etc will then go up to 24 hours in parallel?

If it remains at 15 hours or fewer, then people who work between 16 and 24 hours will lose out massively, not eligible for free school meals and no working tax credit in compensation.

Is there a limit on hours for prescriptions? I was sent a tax credit exemption card due to low income but work 20 hrs a week. I didn't apply for it at all, it just came through after my 2010/11 figures went in for the 2011/12 renewal.

HMRC website has details of the exceptions, but carers doesn't appear to be one of them.
On phone so can't link but look at HMRC/tax credits/link on right hand side to budget changes April 2012

chasing - I'm not sure about prescriptions - they may be simply income related, sorry if so. I'm going to google and see what, if anything, I can find.

I don't think they can be as they definitely have me down for the right hours, I was really surprised when it came through - joined up thinking between government departments!
Is a v good point re the FSM though.

www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Documents/HealthCosts/Tax_Credits_flowchart.pdf -

I got it wrong - prescriptions are simply income related - the link shows the criteria.

Does this include single parents, does anyone know? I work 20 hours, would really struggle to work 24 and still care for DS2 outside school hours.

No. it is couples.

Anyone got nice employers who might creatively decrease hourly rate whilst increasing hours to include some working from home?

Anyone got nice employers who might creatively decrease hourly rate whilst increasing hours to include some working from home? Or set up a time consuming little self employment enterprise with minimal profits?

I'm confused, am I right in thinking the 24 hours a week rule is for Couples?? I'm sure most couples can work 24 hours a week between them.
I can't see anything in there about single parents, unless I'm reading it wring

I think it's totally confusing. I work 17.5 hours, DH is part-time student and carer for DS. We currently get hardly any wtc as it is

ChasingSquirrels says it's for couples, so hopefully it won't affect me. Sorry, that sounds very selfish! Why are these things made so hard to understand, you'd almost think it's to put people off applying.

Exactly!! I don't know about you but I have no clue as to how it is calculated so no idea how much/little we will get in April

My understanding is that it's for couples only. Adult DD is a single mum and it doesn't affect her. It would affect us if DH was working less than 24 hours per week, although he is currently working more than that, so no change in that regard.

I do wonder if moving couples up to 24 hrs per week is a beginning towards moving single mums up to 24 hrs per week and possibly then couples up to 32 hrs per week. It's what I suspect anyway.

oh, as far as school lunches, I believe the criteria doesn't actually list how many hours, does it? Last time I saw it, it just said you couldn't be receiving WTC, meaning under the required number of hours for WTC, which would mean those working 16-24 hrs would still be covered.

Triggles - I think you are probably right re eligibility for school meals, certainly hope so, as this will go some way towards offsetting the £3000 + we are set to lose according to the mumsnet money benefits calculator. will try to link in a minute.

www.mumsnet.com/jobs/changes-to-tax-credits

If the Mnet website is correct then i lose 3,500 a year

Why is the calculation only based on HRC? Thats worrying for those getting MRC and LRC will they be forgotten soon or not eligible for additional TC.

How bad can this all get.