Recent experiences with tax credits

[baileybubs]

Hello,

Just wanted to ask if anyone has had a recent experience applying for tax credits for the first time? This is my first child and me and my partner both worked full time previously so we have never applied for them and I just want to see how people have got on and what you do. I have the form and I will fill it in with last years earnings which of course will then result in them saying we aren't entitled, so do I then phone up and tell them of the change of circumstances and that I will earn significantly less this year due to mat leave and only returning to work part time? Has anyone else done this?
A friend of mine has told me that she still isn't entitle but I'm sure she is. I've calculated that jointly me and df will earn £19k between us this year (up to April 2014) this is calculated with taking the first £100 a week off my mat pay (coz I e read somewhere that they don't count that, am I right??). So we should be entitled right?
Does it seem stupid to anyone else that I have to apply with last years earnings THEN tell them change of circumstances? Why can't I just tell them my predicted earnings now??

 

[Amy2701]

When I first applied just over a year ago I had to fill in our last year earnings, then phone to tell them our expected earnings for the current year. Seems a silly way to do it but I couldn't see any other way to apply. Their phone line takes FOREVER to get through to as well!

 

[Abz1982]

Ive been wondering this as well as obv on the entitlled to calc then you can use this years earnings as well.

Ive sent my form off, but will have to call when #2 is here and will ask them to also calculate it on current wages as its like 4.5k down from last year - well more if I take off the 3.9k

 

[sezzolou]

Hello,

Just wanted to ask if anyone has had a recent experience applying for tax credits for the first time? This is my first child and me and my partner both worked full time previously so we have never applied for them and I just want to see how people have got on and what you do. I have the form and I will fill it in with last years earnings which of course will then result in them saying we aren't entitled, so do I then phone up and tell them of the change of circumstances and that I will earn significantly less this year due to mat leave and only returning to work part time? Has anyone else done this?
A friend of mine has told me that she still isn't entitle but I'm sure she is. I've calculated that jointly me and df will earn £19k between us this year (up to April 2014) this is calculated with taking the first £100 a week off my mat pay (coz I e read somewhere that they don't count that, am I right??). So we should be entitled right?
Does it seem stupid to anyone else that I have to apply with last years earnings THEN tell them change of circumstances? Why can't I just tell them my predicted earnings now??

This is exactly what we plan on doing. Due our first baby in July and i will send off a claim in the next few weeks which will result in no entitlement but then i will ring them to inform them of our change in circumstances when LO is born and im only on SMP. I also have worked it out taking off the £100pw from maternity pay.

 

[Feebster1]

They are a total nightmare!!

It took me 3 months of constant phone calls to them to finally be told we werent entitled to anything as we earned too much money!! So wouldnt get childcare allowance either which means ive had to leave my part time job to stay home. OH earns 18500 and i was on 6500. If i returned to work we would have been left with £13 at the end of the month not counting birthdays, xmas, car bills etc, however if i dont go back and claim tax credits against OH wage we are left with £150???!!!!!

Absolutely crazy that a supposed government focused on people returning to work should leave us in this position. Unfortunately we dont all have relatives to babysit so have to rely on expensive childcare.
We have worked and paid taxes all our lives and only wanted a little help for a few years till wee one at school but apparently not.

Best of it all is i did the tax calculator before we had lo and it said we were entitled, however this is only a guide!

They have the 3 week rule as well, they will only refer and push a case if it has been 3 weeks since anyone last did anything on it! This includes the complaints dept, they have a 3 week period to act as well!!! So frustrating.

Lots of organisations have access to that system too and the reason i had to wait so long was because somewhere in the system my date of birth had been altered but they couldnt tell who it was!! Only way to resolve it was to send in my birth certificate but it took them the full 3 months and a complaint made before anyone told me this!

Anyway sorry for the rant but guess im still annoyed about it all, loved my wee job.
Just my thoughts on tax credits girls!

 

[aimee-lou]

I've not done a new claim, but have just had to get through the labyrinth. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason...I'm pretty cure they pull figures out of the air!

I was told that the threshold to get anything from the WTC side is £17.5k a year for a non-disabled couple. Not sure about the CTC side, but you get a certain amount of money per child and depending on your household income you get a percentage of that.