Am i entitled to claim child care tax credits

dmg24

shirley1977 wrote: »

Yes I am quite able to quantify how many hours I have worked.
20 to be precise every week of every month.
Its not the hours thats the problem its the question at the start of the threads about the days, so the hours are irrelevant and if you would please try and be a bit more polite then that would be a start.
I came on here for some help and advise, not to be spoken to like a complete idiot by a stranger thank you very much!!!

My original question was How often do you actually work these hours? You tried to avoid answering it, as the answer is apparently never.

shirley1977

Ok lets try this again.
I am contracted for 20 hours a week which i always work.
9 times out of ten my hours are on a sat and sun.
My employer states in my contract that i must make myself available on a mon wed and friday incase they need to move my hours from weekend to these days or incase i have to go to training.
Can i still put my children legally into child care on a mon, wed and fri and claim child care even if i dont have to work these days and just work my normal weekend

Duncombe

I dont know for certain, but I really can't see how you would be able to. And if you can, the system is ridiculous.

The hours of this job dont sound totally suited to someone in your position.

kingfisherblue

How often have your hours been moved from weekends to Monday/Wednesday/Friday? Is it once a month? More? I know your contract says that you have to make yourself available, but have you actually had your hours moved?

You are unlikely to be able to claim childcare costs when you are not working, unless your employer will pay the costs for you. If your children are at school, will your employer pay for breakfast and afterschool clubs? (Unlikely I know!)

Can you ask family to be on standby to look after your children if you work during the week?

shirley1977

I know the hours dont seem that greatly suited but unfortunately in todays economic climate there are not a lot of jobs out there and i need to work to support my kids.
My hours have never as yet been moved.
My family cant make themeseves available as they all work.
My local council are saying that they dont think i can claim child care for this and that i would not be entitled to a hb or ct rebate as i would be just (and no more) over the threshold for the benefit.
So basically the way things are looking is that I would be better not working at all and not permit my kids to have a good quality of life.
If i do not get the benefit then I will have less than benefit coming in by the time i pay rent and ct.
Nothing better than our benefit system especially when this is my first time claiming and have always paid my tax and N.i

dmg24

As you have never had to work these hours, why not look after the children yourself in the week? As the chances of you being asked to work appear to be zero, it is unlikely to cause a problem.

Duncombe

I suggest you approach your employer and explain that having to 'be available' Monday, Wednesday and Friday is causing you childcare issues. It may be worth asking if they are ever actually going to need you these days.

How much notice do you get for needing to work these days? Do they phone you at 9am and say "come to work today". Or do they tell you the week before? If so, organising childcare on an as-and-when basis would be more than viable. Some childminders and daycare centres can be very flexible.

Short of that, I don't know what to suggest. You can't expect your child care costs to be met when you dont actually need to be putting your children is childcare.

Oldernotwiser

shirley1977 wrote: »

9 times out of ten my hours are on a sat and sun.

Currently, that would be 10 times out of 10.

Indie_Kid

Can you not just tell your employer that you can't do these days due to chid care issues?

shirley1977

Well it quite clearly seems I would be better giving up work altogether.
I cannot win!!!
If I go to my employer and state that I cannot make myself available then they will just get rid of me.. that's just the way the company works and I have seen it done to ppl before.
I will call tax credits tomorrow and find out exactly where I lie with this one and if its the case that I,m not entitled then I will remove my children form care and ask my employer to let me go..I would be financially better off not working!!
I have worked all my days and paid my taxes and yet when you become a single parent(not through your own choice) everything gets made so much more difficult!!!