Dilemma re claiming

esseesee

I've worked overseas for a large part of my adult life; I've also spent several years caring for an elderly relative when I was unable to work outside the home at all. Thus my pension/savings etc etc are crap.

I have to say that really doesn't bother me; I have no debts, I have good health and good friends.

I returned to the UK just over 18 months ago and took a year off (I'd been saving hard to afford this). I did all the things I wanted to do, travelled to all the places I wanted to go to and saw all the touristy things that so many foreign visitors to these shores rave about. I also went to little hidden corners of Britain and saw even better things and met many wonderful people.

I stayed with a friend for Christmas and in the New Year found a cheap flat and a minimum wage job with a great bunch of people.

The ONLY time in my life I have ever claimed benefits was when I was caring for my mother some 25 years ago and that was a nightmare of form-filling, delays and nosey-parkerisms.

I can 'manage' with what I am earning (not easily, but it's possible) and I don't anticipate being here more than a year or so anyway - I intend to go back to teaching English overseas. I'm also planning on earning some extra cash as a self-employed teacher locally - I've had a couple of requests for English lessons, and also for accent training. I don't envision earning more than an extra £50/week or so, and then not on a regular basis.

Now comes the rub. Entitledto.co.uk tells me that I could be claiming quite a decent sum in housing benefit, council tax credit and working tax credits - but do I want to get on the benefits roller-coaster? How hard is it to get OFF their radar? Is it all worth it? I freely admit that I am a bit paranoid about big-brother snooping - to be honest I hate and loathe it - BUT an extra £100 a week is not to be sneezed at - it would be like being housed and heated for free! To be honest, I'd prefer to EARN an extra £100 a week but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon.

Caz3121

I would have a look at the "Habitual Residence Test" which you would probably have to pass before you would have any entitlement to benefits but the fact that you are not intending to remain in the UK 'for more than a year or so' would likely go against you for benefits...but guess if you don't ask you don't get :-)

esseesee

Oh, I pass the Habitual Residence Test no problem. I know that I am entitled to the benefits - I just want to know how difficult it is to get OFF them when I either get a better job, earn more (too much? is there ever too much?) money, or otherwise become ineligible for them - for instance if I decide to stop deferring my state pension, miniscule though it is. I have heard some horror stories about Working Tax Credits in particular.

SomeBozo

I don't understand the question

just want to know how difficult it is to get OFF them when I either get a better job

You want the government to intervene and pay you money, but at some later date, you want to be off that radar?

Bozo

Oldernotwiser

If you're eligible for benefits now and are planning on going abroad again in 18 months I don't see the problem. Claim them now and stop claiming when you leave.
Have I missed something?

NASA_2

Generally once you terminate your claim there is very little interest taken in it.

Your details would be retained for a certain amount of time to enable whatever agency or office it is to answer quieries.

esseesee

I have heard from various sources that the Working Tax Credit (in particular) is liable to all sorts of unpleasant mix-ups. Respected organisations such as the CAB comment most unfavourably on its administrative errors, and vicious and aggressive clawbacks of any mistakes - mistakes on THEIR part, not yours, even - seem to be rife. It is mentioned that it is 'not always straightforward' to end Working Tax Credit Payment.
Hence I am concerned that, if I become 'part of' the system by claiming a benefit to which it appears I am perfectly entitled, it may be unreasonably difficult to stop its payment in the future, whether or not mistakes are made in the actual payment of tax credits.

What I plan to do in the future should have no bearing on my needs, and claims, now, but with some of the stories I am hearing about the WTC system, I fear it may well do so. This is something that I with to avoid. I cope better with managing on a tight budget now than with a future spent dealing with administrative mistakes made by others.

healy

I think you will find when you want to stop benefits for whatever reason that the Government departments are quite happy to stop those benefits without any problems.

SomeBozo

esseesee wrote: »

I have heard from various sources that the Working Tax Credit (in particular) is liable to all sorts of unpleasant mix-ups. Respected organisations such as the CAB comment most unfavourably on its administrative errors, and vicious and aggressive clawbacks of any mistakes - mistakes on THEIR part, not yours,.

Are you for real?

Whether you are paid by benefits or by an employer, any overpayment (regardless of who made the mistake) has to be paid back. In the same vein any underpayment is also adjusted.

If you are truly suggesting that the risk of an overpayment versus the help given by the government is too much, then you don't need the assistance.

It all sounds "too much fuss" for you. Leave it for those who really need it and makes a difference to their lives.

Bozo

Oldernotwiser

esseesee wrote: »

I have heard from various sources that the Working Tax Credit (in particular) is liable to all sorts of unpleasant mix-ups. Respected organisations such as the CAB comment most unfavourably on its administrative errors, and vicious and aggressive clawbacks of any mistakes - mistakes on THEIR part, not yours, even - seem to be rife. It is mentioned that it is 'not always straightforward' to end Working Tax Credit Payment.
Hence I am concerned that, if I become 'part of' the system by claiming a benefit to which it appears I am perfectly entitled, it may be unreasonably difficult to stop its payment in the future, whether or not mistakes are made in the actual payment of tax credits.

What I plan to do in the future should have no bearing on my needs, and claims, now, but with some of the stories I am hearing about the WTC system, I fear it may well do so. This is something that I with to avoid. I cope better with managing on a tight budget now than with a future spent dealing with administrative mistakes made by others.

If you can manage without the money you could claim it, and save it until you're sure you won't have to pay it back.