Moan about Child Tax Credits

Alias_Omega

Hi Armywife,

Welcome to the forum.

I dont know when this thread was moved into this section, but it looks like you've had a bad start to it. This section of the forum is more mellow, where further advice can be found.


I myself, am serving, & we have 2 children, and a mortgage.

Mrs Alias is unemployed (house wife), and we receive Child Benefit & Child Tax Credits. I dont qualify for Working Tax Credits due to my income. I earn about £29,000 a year, and we receive £75 per month for both children.

Whilst Mrs Alias is unemployed, she is the primary carer for the 2 children, so no childcare costs are required, if it were the other way round, im sure we would do the same.

In the past, We have said that we are happy for Mrs Alias to find a job, but aslong as the wages covers the cost of the childcare. Were are not in the market to make a loss. Though whilst Mrs Alias is out of work, she enjoys visiting friends, and attending the various parent / toddler free sessions around the area.

You just have to make it work for you.

Alias

Starrystarrynight

I don't know much about what income is taken into account for tax credits purposes, can you disregard any of your OH's allowances which are non taxable?

helsee

wouldnt you be happy to stay at home until your children are older? ive only recently returned to work as my youngest free nursery hours kicked in making it viable to work.

your husbands wage isnt a bad income and army life is pretty wel subsidised, maybe you just cant afford to work right now so need to look at other options?

BLT_2

sh1305 wrote: »

Everyone else pays tax, NI & bills too. No-one forced you to live 20 miles from a supermarket.

You don't, you are living off the state, whining about imaginary illnesses. Everyone else is paying tax to support you.

Obviously your imaginary illnesses that the doctor says you dont have aren't affecting your typing fingers as you manage to spend 20 hours a day typing crap

BLT_2

armywifey wrote: »

the army foced us lo live this far away actually and i know everyone pays tax and ni, never said they didnt.

Ignore SH1305, if you have followed it's posts they are almost addictive, never has someone who has contributed so little to society had such strong views on why it is picking on them. However if you want to know how to get free dosh from the state, it knows all the tricks.:rotfl:

Indie_Kid

BLT wrote: »

You don't, you are living off the state, whining about imaginary illnesses. Everyone else is paying tax to support you.

Obviously your imaginary illnesses that the doctor says you dont have aren't affecting your typing fingers as you manage to spend 20 hours a day typing crap

Because of course, I never buy anything? Funny how the doctors DO say I have those illnesses and can prove them.

DX2

Jesus you two leave it out.

Marker_2

armywife, have you thought of ringing tax credits again. I have often found with call centres (any call centres) that you get told something different everytime. You might ring again and find that you are actually entitled (which you must be).

Also, there are alot of forums out there for family of armed forces, without telling you which ones to join, if you just type key words into google along with the word forum you will find a support network out there. They are a great thing to have when the OH is away.

lolly1981

hello.

My friend is a forces wife and to combat the problem of work and taking care of 2 kids she started a businesss called march out cleaning...she offers a cleaning services..sometimes just domestic other times for march out. shes at brize norton..im not sure but i think she has cleaners in other places, maybe thats something to think about..seeing if she offers the service where you are..if not contact her and see if she wants to. or set something up similar yourself..if you were to go into it with another forces wife you could combat the issue of childcare by sharing the job..when one works the other takes care etc.

hope you get out of this rut...we've all been there at some time or another especially with children
good luck x

peteuk

Armywifey - I know where you are coming from, but child tax credit was there to encourage people (mums) to return to work. I believe the system is completly floored.

When I was last posted, my wife who has worked constantly since leaving school (including 6 years in the services) left her job. So with bills to pay and my wage I thought we could turn to the state for assistance. Nope! Child tax credit and workign tax credit stopped. All she could claim was JSA.

Then when after 8 weeks she found employment and started working they paid us child tax credits.......when we didnt need it.

It is a very difficult situation and the tax credit system is difficult to work out. You say your kids are under 3, I take it that the are over 1 as there is an early years extra. Also when they turn 3 they will be entitled to free placement in Nursery for a set period of time. With my eldest the morning sessions were about 30 minutes over the free payment period. So our bill from Playgroup was for 30 minutes.

For the period in which she was "unemployed" she looked after the kids (thankfully they are both school age) hence no childcare, hence no payment. This financle review year we are recieving £70 per month (rounded up) and paying back an overpayment. Our joint income works out at just under £45K. The payent covers about a week of childcare costs. Not much but every penny counts.

I hope that you take solice in the fact that there are people out here in the same boat as yourself, chin up/

Pete