How accurate is the 'Entitled To' calculator?

shar_2

Wondered if anyone could help?

I have been offered a part-time job, so decided to look on entitled to web site to see how our child tax and working tax credits would be affected.

At the moment, Hubby earns £15,000.

The part time job would be £3,700.

(this is with 2 children.)
On the £15,000 wages now, we get C.T.C of £78.48 per Week - or £4,080.70 per Year.
W.T.C now is £7.20 a Week, or £374 a Year.
Then I tried it with my new earnings,(Hubby and my wage if I take the job) meaning our total income would be £18,700.

It came up with C.T.C £74.48 a Week. (the same)?????????
W.T.C £1.51 a Week or £78.50 a Year.

So that would mean I would only be less that £5 a Week worse off with me working. That can't be right - can it?

missk_ensington

I think Child T.C. is made up using wage brackets, which might be £15,000-£19,000 or something like that, so you may not have moved out of the bracket you were in?!?!

Don't get me started on tax credits. Before my partner left me we got £44.50 Child Tax Credit and £38.00 Working tax credit. Now he's left I only get £44 CTC because I didn't work 16 hours, only 14!

I got around it by telling work I'd do another 2 hours for free, so by working another 2 hours I now get £146.00 a week instead of £44.50. How warped is that?!!

CIS

CTC and WTC generally depend on your circumstances, rather than your income, people on the same income and get different award because of different circumstances.

This yrs award is paid using last yrs income, unless this yrs income will be over £25K higher (used to be £2,500 but they changed the rules), therefore the income will still be based on £15000 rather than this yrs £18000.

pink_phantom

Wouldn't you have your part-time wages on top of the tax credits?

pooh0306

Have you got any links to this calculator?

sweetmoneysaver

http://www.entitledto.co.uk/under60.asp

I have assumed you are under 60, there is a separate one for the over 60's on the website.

DazzerG

missk_ensington wrote:

I got around it by telling work I'd do another 2 hours for free, so by working another 2 hours I now get £146.00 a week instead of £44.50. How warped is that?!!

The hours that you work need to be PAID employment.

CIS

Thats what I was wondering, is she actually working or just claiming to be working those 2 hrs ?
If the extra 2hrs take your wage below the minimum wage, then the employer is acting illegally, anyway.

missk_ensington

Dazzer- My hours ARE paid employment, they just reduced my hourly wage by £1 an I do another 2 hours, so it doesn't cost my employer anymore and I can legitimately claim I work 16 hours a week in PAID employment because I do! Employer is happy they get 2 hours more work out of me for the same price, and I'm happy I get £100 more tax credits for doing 2 hours more work!