2 very quick tax credit questions - please help

loulou123

Very quickly.....

I have just been awarded WTC with disability element after coming off income support for incapacity and returning to work. I got all the info through today, and i just want to check 2 things:

1. Am i right in thinking that the WTC is based on last years income? As it states i am working 16 hours a week (which is correct) but then it says i have no income for tax credit purposes (which last year i didnt) but i obviously will earn some money this year (about £5,000) Do i need to call them about this? Or does it just mean that as i based on last year i had no income for tax credits purposes? Bit worried as you hear so many stories about people having to pay large sums back.

2. Do i qualify for free dental treatment and prescriptions due to being on WTC or should i fill in a HC1 for help with these costs?

Thanks in advance.

beaniebabe

loulou123 wrote: »

Very quickly.....

I have just been awarded WTC with disability element after coming off income support for incapacity and returning to work. I got all the info through today, and i just want to check 2 things:

1. Am i right in thinking that the WTC is based on last years income? As it states i am working 16 hours a week (which is correct) but then it says i have no income for tax credit purposes (which last year i didnt) but i obviously will earn some money this year (about £5,000) Do i need to call them about this? Or does it just mean that as i based on last year i had no income for tax credits purposes? Bit worried as you hear so many stories about people having to pay large sums back.

2. Do i qualify for free dental treatment and prescriptions due to being on WTC or should i fill in a HC1 for help with these costs?

Thanks in advance.

I might be able to help with the second question in respect of free prescription charges. As far as I am aware you are not entitled to free prescriptions unless you are on income support, take regular medication for an illness or disability, even then it depends on the illness.
I am afraid the above also applies to dental treatment.:o

Loopy_Girl

beaniebabe wrote: »

I might be able to help with the second question in respect of free prescription charges. As far as I am aware you are not entitled to free prescriptions unless you are on income support, take regular medication for an illness or disability, even then it depends on the illness.
I am afraid the above also applies to dental treatment.:o

That is incorrect. As the OP is on a low income and in receipt of WTC then she will receive an exemption card which means she will get free dental care, prescriptions and help with glasses.

Loopy_Girl

As for the first question, you will be entitled to the full WTC amount as you did have no income for last year. When you come to renew next year then you will guve your wage for this year and also your estimate for the following year.

As your income is low I wouldn't imagine there will be much of a difference to what you get now.

Hope that all helps and congrats on the job

Gemmzie

As long as your income is below around £7k, then you get the full amount so don't panic.

You will get an exception card eventually but they expire 30/06 so you might not get one until after that. Mine took about six weeks, so estimating on that.

Congrats on the job

sinstar

Once a tax credits award notice is issued with circumstances that make you eligible, the details of your circumstances will be passed by Tax Credits to the Prescription Pricing Authority who will issue you with an exemption certificate. This can take up to 8 weeks, if you haven't received your exemption card within 8 weeks of receiving your award notice call the Tax Credits helpline & they can give you the contact details of the PPA so you can chase it up with them.

Even though your award is currently based on your previous year income of £0, give Tax Credits an estimate of what you will earn this year. On 06-04-2010 they will begin basing your award on your 2009-2010 income estimate & if there is no estimate in the system that could cause a problem.

loulou123

Thank you for the answers and the congratulations for the job. Needed a prescription at the weekend and paid for it, as didnt know how the rules worked. Getting the prescriptions paid will be a huge help as i have 5 diffrent medications a month and thought id have to either try for a HC1 or get a yearly payment card thingy.

Thanks again.

woozywendy

loulou123 wrote: »

Needed a prescription at the weekend and paid for it, as didnt know how the rules worked.
Thanks again.

Get and keep any receipts and you can claim the money back. If you take your award notice in they may let you have them for free as it states your income. The chemist I went to accepted this as proof of exemption when I was elligible for a card.

beaniebabe

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

That is incorrect. As the OP is on a low income and in receipt of WTC then she will receive an exemption card which means she will get free dental care, prescriptions and help with glasses.

OP Stated that she has come off income support and is claiming WTC, which she is now entitled to claim as she is working. I was led to believe you could only get free prescriptions if you were on income support, had an illness or disability that required regular medication or was over 65yrs. You do not automatically qualify for free prescriptions , dental treatment and glasses just because you receive WTC. I hope she gets it, however this is just my opinion.:o

Icequeen1

beaniebabe wrote: »

OP Stated that she has come off income support and is claiming WTC, which she is now entitled to claim as she is working. I was led to believe you could only get free prescriptions if you were on income support, had an illness or disability that required regular medication or was over 65yrs. You do not automatically qualify for free prescriptions , dental treatment and glasses just because you receive WTC. I hope she gets it, however this is just my opinion.:o

This is incorrect - have a look at the NHS prescription costs leaflet HC11
which says:

To qualify for help with health costs:
• your family income for tax credits
must be £15,276* or less (this is on
your tax credit award notice issued
by HM Revenue and Customs
(HMRC)) and one of the following
applies:
– you are working and have children
so you get WTC and CTC, or

– you are working and disabled so you
get WTC with a disability element
(for you) or severe disability element
(this might be for you or your
partner) – check your award notice,

or

– you are not eligible for WTC but

get CTC.

So in the case of the OP because he is getting WTC with the disability element and has an income of under £15,276 he will be sent a certificate.

The leaflet is here for future reference: http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/HealthCosts/Documents/HealthCosts/HC11.pdf

IQ