Is it worth doing a leaflet/paper round?

Kimberley

Well i've finally got my start date to work in a school as a GKA (General Kitchen assistant) I work 16 and a quarter week, so it brings me over the 16+ to claim WTC etc. I start on Monday next week :j

My appointment with the New Deal officer is tomorrow morning as an emergency

What i want to know is how will they calculate for a small part time paper/leaflet round i will be doing at weekends? This pays cash and is not tax deductable, but was wondering if it's worth me doing these extra jobs or would the money i get from it be taken from the WTC? I'm not sure on how much i would get each week from this extra job you see and it's only about £12 - £20 a week maximum

Ted_Hutchinson

I'd put my details in the calculator at ENTITLEDTO and have several goes with diffent part-time earnings so you see what difference making a small change makes.

CIS

If your total income is below #5220, then tax credits wont be affected until you pass that that threshold, once you do, Tax credits reduce by 37% of the excess income above #5220.

In any case , you still need to declare the income to the TCO.

Savvy_Sue

The leaflet / paper round may be paying cash, but I don't think that makes it not tax deductible. IF you're earning more than the personal allowance in your school job then I believe you would have to declare it to HMRC at year end, effectively as if you're self-employed.

If it's a free paper round with the leaflets, they are quite hard work IMO.

If you have a child over 13 who could be persuaded to 'help' with the paper round, and it could be registered in their name, that would be one suggestion. But mine expect to keep the money from their paper rounds! However, I expect them to use that money for mobile phone topups, non-curricular school trips, and their general entertainment costs. So you might save money rather than gain income that way?

jellyhead

i did a paper round a couple of years ago and it paid directly into my bank account. also, a teenager would be paid a much lower rate of pay than an adult, they pay according to min wage

jellyhead

hi kimberley, i'm just being nosey - what about school holidays? do they affect the tax credits? congrats on getting a job with good hours for your children :j

Kimberley

jellyhead wrote:

hi kimberley, i'm just being nosey - what about school holidays? do they affect the tax credits? congrats on getting a job with good hours for your children :j

Hi Jelly

I've not long come back from the Job centre and sorting out my change of circumstances with the housing/council tax benefit.

The job only pays during school term, but they calculated my wages for 52 weeks to help with my tax credit claim. Like say i get £5.50 and hour, what they did was put my wage at £4.50 an hour. I'm not sure how it works out, but it's supposed to be calculated as if i worked 52 weeks a year

I can claim for a maintenance bonus and a job grant. Also today i was able to get my working shoes etc from a voucher the job centre gave me for the shop. I didn't know they helped with getting your shoes

I'm looking forward to starting :j

The paper round i didn't mention, what i'll do is that because my daughter already has a round of her own to earn her own pocket money, i'll put the 2nd round in her name also, it just means i get the child rate, but at least it should pay for my bus fare to and from work :rolleyes:

Kimberley

Savvy_Sue wrote:

If you have a child over 13 who could be persuaded to 'help' with the paper round, and it could be registered in their name, that would be one suggestion.

Yes she already does a round, i'll just put the new round in her name and do the papers myself It will only be £6 odd but at least it will pay my bus fares each day

CIS

The WTC rules for term time part year workers are here

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/tctmanual/TCTM02405.htm#8

Justicia

Kimberley wrote:

Also today i was able to get my working shoes etc from a voucher the job centre gave me for the shop. I didn't know they helped with getting your shoes

That sounds like the New Deal Adviser Discretionary Fund

I'm looking forward to starting :j

All the best, Kimberley