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can't get my head around it...

9 replies

allothernamesaretaken · 30/01/2013 10:20

Hi, not sure i am posting this in the right place but i thought i would get more people with experience of this here. I was wondering if anyone can shed some light on the tax credits for me, i am just after a rough idea of amounts but all the information i see online is so confusing.

  1. how much working tax credit (approx a month) would a lone parent with two children get if they were earning about £12,000 a year?

  2. how much child tax credit in same situation

    3)how do they work out if you get child care costs covered? is this only for pre school children or can you claim some for after school care and are you likely to get 70% paid or is that very rare.

  3. is council tax benefit and free school meals only for totally unemployed people of are they available for low income as well?

    Sorry for so many questions i just need to get things strait in my head because at the moment every time i try and work out my sums it seems like i would be much better off unemployed and that can't be right.
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ThingummyBob · 30/01/2013 10:30

My friend is on about £12k per year I think and receives around £550 per month wtc/ctc.

She uses after school club occaisionally but just pays herself as its infrequent. If using full time, which would be £100 per week for two dcs I know she would get help towards it, not sure how much it would eb though sorry...

Also, maintenance doesn't class as income for tax credits so you can add that if you get any without it affecting the tax credits.

FSM and council tax benefit (which stops soon? or changes or something) are only avavilable for those on total household income less than around £14k I believe, so all in you will get too much to qualify for these.

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allothernamesaretaken · 30/01/2013 10:46

Thank you so much for your help that seems a bit better than what information i could get. the total childcare costs would be about £500 ( half the wage!) pound a month so i am guessing i would get something towards them?

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ThingummyBob · 30/01/2013 11:00

I'd imagine so Smile

Try putting your figures in hereTax Credit calculator but be aware that it gives you the total amount payable from now to 5th April, not a full year or weekly, iyswim.

Its 8 weeks to the 5th April so divide the figures you get by 8 for weekly amounts.
You can receive tcs 4 weekly too, so 4 x weekly amount paid 13 times per year. Same pattern as child benefit.

hth.

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12stonelighter50feettaller · 30/01/2013 13:48

The Turn2Us calculator is pretty easy to use and accurate - it will tell you all of the benefits you are entitled to, including housing benefit etc. You will need details of your current wages, and the last tax year's, how much your rent and council tax is, and how much your childcare is.

Tax credits will pay 70% of any childcare as long as it is with an OFSTED registered provider, this includes after school clubs and holiday playschemes.

If you get working tax credits, you are not entitled to free school meals I just found out yesterday Sad. I was personally looking forward to not having to make another Marmite sandwich for the rest of my life, and have had my hopes dashed.

The link is here

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allothernamesaretaken · 30/01/2013 20:23

thank you.
The problem is it is not my situation now. The boys father is leaving and i currently have no job but i have 3 interviews coming up in the next couple of weeks and £12,000 is about the amount of each of them, give or take a bit.

I have childcare lined up if i get one of these jobs but i just wanted to know i would be keeping my head above water and able to pay the mortgage, feed them and heat the house on that wage. I just wanted to have a rough idea.

its all a bit scary and daunting.

By the way Marmite is just plain wrong! Grin

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allothernamesaretaken · 30/01/2013 20:51

12stone I have tried doing the calculator and have put in all details as if it happened this year (why they have to work it out on last years earnings rather than your current situation i will never know) and it is coming up with about £300 a week. think i must be doing something wrong.

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12stonelighter50feettaller · 31/01/2013 12:38

I don't think you are doing anything wrong - I earn a bit more than you, my childcare is just under £100 a week, and I get roughly £800 a month in total child and working tax credits, plus a bit of housing and council tax benefit.

Put in a claim for tax credits as soon as your ex leaves, then you update them as and when you start work and start using childcare (it should go up then).

I know it is all very daunting, but there is plenty of financial help available. The whole point of tax credits was to encourage people into work, so it is surprising how much help you can get.

I used to love Marmite, but am suffering from overexposure now Sad.

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ThingummyBob · 31/01/2013 14:02

Allother, is that the TCs calculator you have used? .

The figure they pay you now would be based on last years income, which presumably was lower than what you may earn if you get one of the jobs? Try just putting in the £12k instead of what you actually earned 2011-12.

Also be aware that although it is based on last years income, you can estimate it up higher so that you are not receiving overpayments which may need paying back at renewal time.

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allothernamesaretaken · 31/01/2013 20:33

that's the problem, i haven't actually earned anything for years so trying to work out what i will get is really hard.

Thank you for you help though even a rough idea is better than worrying about it. now all i have to do it get one of the jobs Grin

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