Tax Cfredits and 0 hour contracts

[kmbabycrazy]

I have just got a job doing casual receptionist work. It is as and when they need me, mostly to cover those off sick or on holiday. How would this count with tax credits? Do I ring them to inform them of the job and then ring them when I have worked to let them know how many hours?

Any help would be great as I'm not great at ringing places like this and like to have it straight in my head what I need to be doing before I ring them.

Thanks

 

[Pearlie]

I don't think u can get working tax credits for less than 16 hours a week, if it's more than that then you'd have to estimate then tell them the correct figure for the year at the end of the tax year.. It's quite complicated I think! You need to ring them to ask what to do x

 

[suzib76]

It doesn't matter if you would get working tax credits or not because you still have to notify tax credits for the child tax credit element of the claim. I would call them and ask what happens with zero hour contracts, I am self employed so I estimate and then give them a final end of year figure when I have it, however if there are any big changes I jyst update them as I go

 

[Pearlie]

Well it does matter if she's expecting to be able to get working tax element & childcare element, some people can't afford to work without them. The child tax element for me has never changed from when I had no job, to a job 40+ hours, to a job 22 hours per week. My child tax has been the same figure. Working tax has changed.

 

[suzib76]

I must have read your first post incorrectly. When you said it didn't matter as you can't get WTC for under 16 hours I thought you were suggesting that it wasn't necessary to notify Tax credits. My point was that any earnings can and do affect child tax credit as well. I was not looking on a personal whether or not op can afford to work level which your next post seems to imply.

Anyway in either situation my advice would be the same. It ALWAYS matters and ALWAYS notify tax credits.