Confused about working hours and working tax, please help!

[Sassy9]

I’m having a nightmare with my boss at the moment and it’s left me v confused, I’ll give as much info as possible so apologies for long, boring thread but any advice would be great!
Last year I found myself a single mum with a tiny baby, I do have other children but they are older, anyway, rather than sit around being miserable, I found myself a job working 16 hours a week during term time only, this meant I could have the baby during the day and the bigger ones could have her while I worked, so far it’s been working very well. Anyway, a few weeks ago, one of my other children was ill and ended up in hospital so I only worked 4 hours that week, the week after I went back to the usual 16 hours, now, my wages are paid weekly, so I got my pay and obviously the money was taken off for the hours I didn’t work, but.. the week later I only got half my wages, when I queried this I was told it’s because I only work term time so I’m not actually working 16 hours pw. Now, to give more info, I earn 8.50 ph, this is spread over 52 weeks, even though I only work 34 weeks so I’m paid even when I’m not working which means I get £102 pw. Back in January working tax stoped my benefits as they said my claim didn’t add up, it looked to them like I was being paid under the minimum wage. I spent hours on the phone explaining to them that I only worked term time but was paid even during the school holidays, they eventually reinstated my working tax etc as it all added up. Now my boss is telling me that I don’t actually work 16 pw and I need to increase my hours by 8.5 hours a week. I’m confused! Why has she only decided this now - I’ve been there since last September! Also, she’s telling me I have to start work at 9pm and work through the night, which I can’t do as I have to be up during the day with the baby but that’s a whole different thread, so, does anyone actually understand working term time only and if I increase my hours by 8.5 hpw how will this affect my tax credits? I’m gutted because the hours I’m working are fitting well round my family unit at the moment while the baby is still so small. I hope this makes sense, any advice would be great, I thought I was an intelligent lady but I’m totally confused! X

[Babyroobs]

I 'm not sure on the term time issue but for working tax credits you must meet the required hours every week- so you must be doing 16 hours a week, you can't count unpaid lunch breaks. They are very strict on it and will check.