advice please...currently on maternity leave, want to cut hours drastically

mrskpickles

Hi,

I am currently on maternity leave and am due to return to work in Jan 09, after 6 months off.

I earn £25,424 per year, I am a school nurse so hours are mon to fri 9-5. I work 325 hours per week, which is a take home of £1400 per month.

I want to cut my hours and spend time with my son, I have no idea how much I can drop my hours by and still live....I have asked tax credits to give me an idea of what I would be entitled to if I cut my hours to 18 per week, but they cant help me.

I earn approx £13 per hour. But I need to clear £1400 per month. SO how much could I cut my hours and then top up my with child benefit and CTC...and how much do I have to earn to qualify for WFTC...no-one wil help me, I have called HMRC and been into an enquiry centre.

Also, any idea on how to make money at home so I can be with my baby boy....I've thought of being an avon lady/doing body shop parties etc but this wouldn't fit in.

ANy help on how to be at home with my baby and still earn my money would be helpful.

Thank you

Kirstie and Elliott....who wants his mummy at home!

Mr_Angry_6

Hi Mrskpickles - work 325 hours per week? Are you Dr Who or something? Did you mean to say 32.5 hrs per week?

milliebear00001

Hiya

There should be an online tax credit calculator at the tax credits website. You cn put in different income amounts and it should give you an estimate of what you get in TC - remember though that you'll get more while your baby is under 12 months.

Have you thought about childminding? This is an easy way to make money while being with your child.

M

lbl

good luck to you, I hope it works out for you and someone gives you good advice. I am also going to cut down my working hours from December to three days a week to be home with my little one, so I understand how it feels. We are not sure how it will impact financially but feel that we can't have the time back so must do it now before he heads off to school.

[Deleted User]

You can call the TCO helpline to ask for a calculation (or do it online) based on particular circumstances, incomes etc BUT the advisers are not there to tell you what you should do to make the most of your finances.
Each persons circumstances are different so it is not possible for them to give everyone such specific advice.
The best thing you can do is use various incomes, hours etc on one of the online calculators.

MRS_TO_BE_2

www.entitledto.com is a good start. Remember Tax credits gone down when baby is one. Good Luck!

cazad

milliebear00001 wrote: »

Hiya

There should be an online tax credit calculator at the tax credits website. You cn put in different income amounts and it should give you an estimate of what you get in TC - remember though that you'll get more while your baby is under 12 months.

Have you thought about childminding? This is an easy way to make money while being with your child.

M

I agree childminding is a way of making money whilst being at home but it is far from easy. I am a childminder and found it much easier going out to work a 40 hour week.
Being a proper childminder is an exhausting but very satisfying job

LondonDiva

You also need to check if your employers will let you drop your hours.

fi_trix29

Just a small point, tax credits are tapered depending on your income at a rate of 39% which basically means for every extra pound you earn 39p gets taken off your tax credits so going backwards from that for every pound less you earn, your tax credits only go up by 39p

Sorry but I doubt you will be able to get benefits to top you up to your previous income otherwise why would anyone bother working.

sineadgraham

Hi there, when i contacted WTC after i had my 2nd child in may i didnt get any extra money at all and wont when i go back to work in february 09 as my husband earns over £21500.i will only receive £87 a month. This is what was explained to me on the form i received telling me what i would get.when i was working prior to mat leave i done 18 hours a week and still received no extra money. again this was me and i only got £7.15 an hour for my job.:eek: