Is working term term a good option with tax credits. . .

jla1051

karenx wrote: »

but you don't work for or with a school. That's what term time means. You are chosing to work these hours. So if works out under 16 hours per week you won't get WTC

Sorry but you're wrong. Term-time working is exactly that, it makes no difference who the employer is.

jla1051

Term time and seasonal workers - yearly cycle of work
The Working Tax Credit (Entitlement and Maximum Rate) Regulation
Where a recognised yearly cycle of work exists and the person works at a school, educational establishment, or other place of employment on a seasonal basis, exclude from the calculation of normal working hours, any periods of school holidays or similar vacations when the person does no work.

To calculate the normal weekly hours worked by a person who has a yearly cycle use the number of hours normally worked, or that the claimant expects to work during the term or during the period of seasonal work.

This regulation enables people working in schools, other educational establishments or other places of employment (such as the Civil service) where term time working is available to continue to receive WTC during school holidays, or holidays which are broadly similar to school holidays, by taking these periods out of the calculation of normal working hours.

Taken from http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/tctmanual/tctm02450.htm#IDAOKU2G

jla1051

themonkeybutler wrote: »

Erm, no! They will not knowingly pay for 52 weeks a year if you only work 44! Anybody claiming WTC in this way is committing fraud. Whoever your "customers" are need to be made aware of this. This much I know for sure(!)

Yes they do, see my post above. My customers (not sure why the use of inverted commas was needed) are made aware of all the correct regs surrounding Tax Credits but thanks for your concern.

Deepmistrust

themonkeybutler wrote: »

No you cannot claim 16 hours per week when youre not working 16 hours per week for part of the year. If you averaged it out over 52 weeks, you would be working under 16 hours per week and therefore be totally ineligible for WTC. The best option is to call them when the holidays start so they can stop your wtc, then call them again each time the holidays end. This may seem like faffing about, but if you claim to be working when youre not, that would be fraud.

You also wouldnt be entitled to child care costs during the holidays. The fact you have to pay them 52 weeks a year, whether youre using it or not is a clever ploy by your child carer, but again, if youre not working for two months a year, you cannot claim TC for those periods.

So, all those people who work 16 hours, but only *work* 47 weeks per year (or less) are committing fraud?

The OP can't be commiting fraud certainly not during term time, as she IS working the required 16 hours per week.

Not sure about the OP's contract, but if a person (say a school worker) is on a permanent contract for 16hrs per week, with 12 weeks a year (paid and unpaid), is that different from a person on a permanent contract to work 47 weeks of the year with 5 weeks off?

With regard to the "Child care ploy". Most childminders and nurseries charge at least a retainer fee for parents holidays. The childcare provider is charging for the place, regardless of whether the child attends or not. Otherwise, they could effectively end up with zero children generating zero income over the holiday periods, but still have staff wages and other overheads to pay. It is common practise for childcare settings to charge full or possibly discounted rates over holiday periods.

In addition, if she has to cease her childcare every holiday and restart it. Isn't it so that Tax Credits continue paying the childcare element for 4 weeks anyway?

kurjam

i work as an after school club worker and collect children and take children to school, i am not needed in school holidays and i work in an educational establishment... i will ring tc tomorrow and ask.

kurjam

rang tax credits today and told them what happening at work and i am going onto a term time only contract, as i work with before and after school children.

when its school holidays and i get (unpaid) leave i can still claim my tax credits and i can still also claim the help of costs with my childcare i have to pay to keep my childcare places..... as i am still classed as working for tax credit purposes as it is term contract and not seasional work....