Turn2us benefits calculator

[Metalgoddess]

Has anyone used this? I wondered how accurate it is as I have done he calculator and it says we are entitled to 82.40 per week child tax credits based on my dh salary of 24k with 2 children? This seems very generous to me!?

Hi
I am a benefits specialist at Turn2us.
The online calculator should give you an accurate forecast of your tax credits entitlement, but it's important that you read the explanatory notes and enter your circumstances accurately.
A couple with two children, earnings of £24,000 and no other relevant income, should normally get around £66 per week in child tax credit.

Having said that, tax credits calculations are quite complicated, depending on your family's circumstances. There are a lot of factors that affect the calculation.
You may be entitled to more than £66 if, for example

• you pay for child care
• your children have any disability, or
• your earnings last year were lower than they are now.

The best advice would be to claim tax credits anyway, and check with an adviser if the amount awarded seems incorrect.

If you are having difficulty using the online calculator Turn2us also has a telephone helpline on 0808 802 2000.

Thanks for getting back to me, I think what was confusing was the pension contributions which my husband makes, I put those into the calculator and it seemed to alter figures, it's an occupational pension though which I now understand can't be counted in tax credit calculations?

Generally pension contributions should be deducted from gross income to work out tax credits, so if you put an amount for pension contributions into the calculator that amount will reduce your gross income (and increase tax credit entitlement).
This is the calculator help screen for pension contributions
www.turn2ushelp.entitledto.co.uk/viewhelp.aspx?sid=13&helpfile=taxcredpensioncont
Depending on what sort of pension your husband pays into, you might have to add on an extra amount for the tax relief he is entitled to on those contributions ...
This is HMRC guide to tax credits www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/wtc2.pdf - page 20 has more information on pension contributions

it looks like you should certainly claim child tax credit -do it as soon as possible, your claim can only be backdated for one month

Occupational pensions aren't included in Tax Credits renewals, Turn2us, because I've just done our renewal and the form very specifically states that pensions deducted from earnings by an employer should not be included. I presume because they attract tax relief at source.

The link you give www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/wtc2.pdf states:

"You should not normally deduct any contributions to an occupational pension scheme or payments under a payroll giving or Give As You Earn (GAYE) scheme as your employer will have already deducted these payments from your gross pay."

lougle- that's absolutely correct
It all depends on the type of pension payment
from the calculator help page
"If you pay into an occupational or personal pension, you should enter the gross amount you pay in, including the value of tax relief.

Do not include pension contributions made by employers. All employer pension contributions are ignored completely in tax credits and should not be included in the amount entered for gross earnings or anywhere else in the calculator."

I use the calculator a lot and it is fairly accurate. I only earn 15k, so am entitled to housing benefit, child tax credit and ofc child benefit. It has been very helpful to work out whether we would be alright when my partner stopped working to look after the children.

That's why Metalgoddess got a higher figure, then, because she was taking out the pension contributions from the gross income.

I'm even more confused now lol, do I put in any pension contributions or not?!

No, you just put in the gross earnings (I.e. what's on the P60). If your dh had a pension that he paid into from his take- home pay, then you would adjust the income. An occupational pension is paid before deductions by the employer, so you don't adjust the income.

Ok thanks :)