Moving from working FT to PT - what am I entitled to (if anything)?

ElleWoods

In a few months I'll be making the move from working full time to part time. I'll be working 3 full days, which is 22.5 hours per week. I currently earn exactly £20k, so my new salary will be pro-rata this. I'm a single parent and my child will be in childcare the three days I'll work (so same amount of ofsted registered childcare as at present, as my parents currently have my son the other two days). As I currently work FT I don't get any benefits apart from WTCs to help with childcare costs, which I assume I'll still get. I only get £6.25 per fortnight in maintenance (don't ask!) and have no other source of income.

My question is, will I be entitled to anything else? Will I be able to get Tax Credits, Housing Benefit to help with the rent, Income Support (no idea what the income threshold is for receiving this)? Is there anything else I should be looking at applying for?

A friend told me I'd be better off working only two days (15 hours), as then I'd be working under 16 hours per week and would get more financial assistance - do you think this would be the case?

My main worry is my rent, as it's £500pcm, and my son's nursery fees which vary between £350 - £485pm, depending on whether there are any school hols in the month.

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.
CC x

Indie_Kid

You can't get IS. You might get help with rent and possibly council tax.

DX2

Cuba_Cat wrote: »

A friend told me I'd be better off working only two days (15 hours), as then I'd be working under 16 hours per week and would get more financial assistance - do you think this would be the case?
CC x

Your friend doesn't have a clue
You will be so much better working 16+hours per week, which would get you WTC and CTC and your childcare costs. You may be eligible to claim LHA and CTB.

beard0609

Period:06/04/2009-05/04/2010
£103.58Working Tax Credit
£50.17Child Tax Credit:


From entitledto.com...

Has assumed that your council tax is £100 pm
Child care average £100 per week

Entitlementper yearper
. Means-tested bill reductionsHousing Benefit£64.12 Your full rent of £116.67 per week will be reduced by £64.12 per week because of your entitlement to Housing Benefit. This means you will have to pay £52.54 each week. Our calculation is based on you receiving £110.01 from working tax credit and an Income of £53.41 from child tax credit.

Please remember that i have used guesstamated figures and you will be best to do the calculations yourself..

katrina1979

beard0609 wrote: »

Period:06/04/2009-05/04/2010
£103.58Working Tax Credit
£50.17Child Tax Credit:


From entitledto.com...

Has assumed that your council tax is £100 pm
Child care average £100 per week

Entitlementper yearper
. Means-tested bill reductionsHousing Benefit£64.12 Your full rent of £116.67 per week will be reduced by £64.12 per week because of your entitlement to Housing Benefit. This means you will have to pay £52.54 each week. Our calculation is based on you receiving £110.01 from working tax credit and an Income of £53.41 from child tax credit.

Please remember that i have used guesstamated figures and you will be best to do the calculations yourself..

Out of interest what figures did you use. I am in a similar situation and would be desperate to work p/t instead of f/t, i too am also on £20k per year with one child but no child minder as my parents help out.
Thanks:)

ElleWoods

Thanks everyone, I've put my details into entitledto.com and according to them I'll be entitled to a bit of HB and CTB, as well as WTCs and TCs, so will fill in the application forms soon. Fingers crossed!

exil

katrina1979 wrote: »

Out of interest what figures did you use. I am in a similar situation and would be desperate to work p/t instead of f/t, i too am also on £20k per year with one child but no child minder as my parents help out.
Thanks:)

Go to www.entitledto.co.uk and put in your own figures. You should get WTC and help with child care costs