Employed and self employed tax credit help?

helen4377

Tax credits have made an error with this weeks payment and as I cannot speak to anyone on the helpline at the mo (routine maintenance on the system) could I run this by you and see what you think?

This week (w/c 31st Aug) I started a new job at 15 hours a week. I also run a small business that is approx 5 hours a week work. So I work 20 hours a week. I am a single mum and I also have childcare costs of approx £222.00 per week. I advised TC about this straight away. But on checking my bank account today I was only paid £70.00 when it should have been about £270 ish?

I was under the impression that TC would allow any combination of employed and self employed hours to go over the 16 hour a week threshold? Is this assumption correct? My self employed company is all registered and I pay my tax on the earnings. I have a signed contract for my new job as well.

Does this seem a genuine error on their behalf or am I missing something ? I have got myself in a real panic with it as I need the tax credits for my children's nursery otherwise I cannot afford to go to work!

Many thanks for any help you can offer.

mcnolegs

Looks like it's an error; the job and S/E should've had their hours comined to over 16. It may also depend when you told them as the payment you got could already have been issued and a new payment schedule is in the process of being drawn up. From advising a change it can take over a week for the payment to be affected (usually a couple of days for the system to update then 3 or so days for a new payment to go through the bank clearing system). Give them a call Monday to check

[Deleted User]

They need time to proces your change of circumstances and then the time for you bank to process a BACS payment.

Call them on Monday morning (around 7.45am is the quickest time to get through) to find out what is happening.

helen4377

Thank you both for your quick replies!

subsoniccoyote...I appreciate they need time to process the payment but it is just the strange amount of £70 that I am clueless about. I was getting £102.00 per week before that so it is not as if they just haven't processed my new change of circs....hmmm?

Can I just add another question. I always check my entitlement on entitledto and the HMRC calculator when I change my circs so I know if what I am receiving is correct. As long as I am doing this then I shouldn't be saddled with a large overpayment for this year should I? I assume the entitledto calculator has the riight information on?

Thanks again for you help

[Deleted User]

Do you have a child aged 16? If so have you informed TCO that they are staying in full time education? If yes to both then you should shortly see your payments corrected as this change is only processed from 1st September.
If you do have a child aged 16+ and have not informed TCO they are staying in full time education you should notify them ASAP.

helen4377

Nope, my 2 monkeys are 3.5 and 2 years old. I am always very careful to update my circumstances with TCO. Looks like I will put a call in to them on Monday and see what they say.

Thanks for you help.

mcnolegs

helen4377 wrote: »

Thank you both for your quick replies!

subsoniccoyote...I appreciate they need time to process the payment but it is just the strange amount of £70 that I am clueless about. I was getting £102.00 per week before that so it is not as if they just haven't processed my new change of circs....hmmm?

Can I just add another question. I always check my entitlement on entitledto and the HMRC calculator when I change my circs so I know if what I am receiving is correct. As long as I am doing this then I shouldn't be saddled with a large overpayment for this year should I? I assume the entitledto calculator has the riight information on?

Thanks again for you help

From this it does sound as though the wrong details have been input. It sounds potentially like your hours have just been input as your 15 hours self-employment which wouldn't qualify you to help with childcare. If you double check on Monday its easily rectified