The Mystery Shopping thread - part 6

Scaredy_Cat_3

Is Timmne or some other tax expert around please? I am curious about the NI contributions. I understand you are saying it's worth paying if you may need maternity pay but I'm too old for that to be very likely!!!! I wonder if paying NI now will have some beneficial effect on my pension (eventually?)

When I was made redundant about 3 years ago I signed on for Jobseekers allowance and only got that for 6 months - I was then told I'd get no more money but was welcome to keep signing for it to be counted towards my pension. However, they also explained that because I have children, this part of my life is automatically covered anyway so there was really no need to keep trailing into town to sign on.

So, if I'm classed as self employed does that mean I will no longer be automatically covered, and I should start paying NI, or what?

Also, does anyone know how you liaise with the Child Tax Credit people over this? I've not found them very good in the past, they've made mistakes etc., and since I don't know how much I earn yet, how do I inform them in such a way that they don't just stop paying me the Tax Credit?

brryssn

I have been paying the NI since going self employed in April but don't really know whether it's beneficial for me - I'm 54 so am thinkig towards my pension (oh my god - I feel so old!) not maternity allowance, but I hadn't worked since my 16 year old daughter was born - was busy doing several Design courses and the odd little job thats all, but that's a big gap in my contributions so as I say, not sure if its worth it, but I look at it as £29 each time I pay it mounting up over the months - if I CAN get it back! I will check it out eventualy!

My Tax Credits stopped in September though which I wasn't really expecting!
I'd told them I was now self - employed but didn't have a clue as to how much I would be earning, & they said give an approximate amount, which I did, & I thought it would be next year before any TC would be stopped.
So I'm £40 a month down now - just have to do more MS to make it up!!:D

Scaredy_Cat_3

brryssn wrote: »

I have been paying the NI since going self employed in April but don't really know whether it's beneficial for me - I'm 54 so am thinkig towards my pension (oh my god - I feel so old!) not maternity allowance, but I hadn't worked since my 16 year old daughter was born - was busy doing several Design courses and the odd little job thats all, but that's a big gap in my contributions so as I say, not sure if its worth it, but I look at it as £29 each time I pay it mounting up over the months - if I CAN get it back! I will check it out eventualy!

My Tax Credits stopped in September though which I wasn't really expecting!
I'd told them I was now self - employed but didn't have a clue as to how much I would be earning, & they said give an approximate amount, which I did, & I thought it would be next year before any TC would be stopped.
So I'm £40 a month down now - just have to do more MS to make it up!!:D

Why did they deduct £40? Is it because of your earnings, or because your daughter is 16? (Or is 18 the cut off point?) I thought as long as we earn less than about 5k we are not liable for tax. Isn't tax credit worked out on joint income? I'm sure I got the same amount of Tax Credit when I was working (part-time) as I do now.

bobthego

Gap are really annoying with this, I keep getting phone calls from them for the burger jobs, I worry if I say that I'm not doing them anymore, will they 'sack' me as I've heard that they do that

joeyjimbles wrote: »

Hi all
Thanks for the invaluable advice on this thread - can't believe I've only just found it! Its taken me gallons of coffee to read it all!

Does anyone else find that despite the preferences you filled in that they still get phone calls from G*p to do fastfood restaurants? And that they always ring about 8pm on a Saturday/Sunday - my DS2s bedtime? I'm really getting fed up with it but don't know how to stop it other than stop shopping for them altogether which I'd prefer not to do as they can work out quite well for me sometimes. Any advice?

bobthego

Happy Birthday HollyPear
:dance::dance::dance::dance:

brryssn

Scaredy_Cat wrote: »

Why did they deduct £40? Is it because of your earnings, or because your daughter is 16? (Or is 18 the cut off point?) I thought as long as we earn less than about 5k we are not liable for tax. Isn't tax credit worked out on joint income? I'm sure I got the same amount of Tax Credit when I was working (part-time) as I do now.

I thought it would be up to when she finished her Advanced Highers, which is next June, but maybe it was until her Highers, which was June this year.
I'll have to phone & check it out.

Hoop-la

Hi Guys

Just thought I should say hi as I have looked at this thread a few times now. Been MS'ing for a couple of years now, so not looking to pick your brains. But have found it reassuring to hear you seem to experience a lot of the same frustrations I do - particularly after a bad day!

josie

I've no clue really about NI and don't know whether I ought to be paying anything extra but as I work full time elsewhere, I'm kind of assuming that's enough!

bryssn, I'm wondering what amount you gave as your earnings - not that you have to tell me, but when I did my tax return for last year, I put something in the region of £850 income and £800 expenses, so my total "income" for the year was only £50.

I'm just wondering whether you may have overestimated your earnings, because don't forget all the things you can offset it with soon add up, especially on some of the more paltry fees.

bobthego

Hi Hoop-la - Welcome to the board!
you've been MSing longer than quite a few of us, maybe you have some tips!

Hoop-la wrote: »

Hi Guys

Just thought I should say hi as I have looked at this thread a few times now. Been MS'ing for a couple of years now, so not looking to pick your brains. But have found it reassuring to hear you seem to experience a lot of the same frustrations I do - particularly after a bad day!

mtem74

Happy birthday HP. yes it's a late one sorry but just logged on. Anyway, I'm guessing you're out in town partying.