Help... come off benefits. tax credits and job grant how long???

nuttyelle

Hi, I hope someone can help me. I've just come off IS (been on it just over a year since split with partner) as I've found a job woo hoo (although its just a temp xmas one, but better than nothing)
I was told that im entitled to a job grant of £250 for going to work to put me on (pay is monthly in arrears) and i've called tax credits with all relevant info as i need to change from just child tax to child tax, working tax and childcare.
Thing is does anyone know how long it take for the grant to come through or for new payment amounts to start from tax credits (im on weekly pay, usually wed and they didnt go in today)
Problem is ive just paid 2 x £25 reg fee at nursery last week (which i had to borrow off family) and i need to pay a months fees upfront for my 2 children in order for them to start next week when i start work (fees are £170a week) which i know doesnt sound a lot for 2, but i have no credit cards, no one able to lend me the money, and the nursery will not allow leyway... oh and i cant take them to work with me when i start monday.

Can anyone give me a rough idea or offer advice? im begining to see why people 'live' on benefits... wheres the encouragement if your hit with this brick wall straight away?

sorry for the rant. any help appreciated

concerned43

Don't know the answer but did you also get the £40pw 'in work credit'?

dazzadub

job grant is normally paid a week or so after you sign off. its automatic payment, mine wasnt paid so i had to ring up and they sorted it out

nuttyelle

no, there was no mention of a £40 to me.
mind you ive had the most useless advisor ever. ive been looking for work with no help from them, i had to go sit and wait to sign off benefits as when i called i was told no appointments for 3week, and that i dont have to work and should stay on IS.
so i went and sat down there for hours, eventually someone saw me... took a whole 10mins max to do it! and basically i was told i should of just sent a letter (sorry but i wasnt going to 'loose' the £250 or HB run on i was entitled to and need desperately to be able to work)
she was off with me, and im now in a panic and wondering if i should have taken their advice and sat on my !!!! for 3years?
sorry im just starting to stress a little. i want to provide for my kids and bring them up knowing you work hard for what you want and it seems the system just wants you sat there. maybe it costs them less paying benefits than WTC and CT?
:-(

nuttyelle

does anyone know how long tax credits take to sort out and change their payments to correct ammounts? thins is the biggest diff as in total it will be £295 including childcare, child tax and working tax, and im relying on this for nursery and travel and costs towards the house.
if it takes to monday or longer i cant go to the job and they'll have to set me back up on benefits, cancel the £250 payment and i will do sweet fa then! plus i'll be angry that i'll still owe £50, not to mention having to wait for that sorting. starting to wish i hadnt bothered now.
another post says something about checks? they didnt do this when i went into work when had first daughter! that post didnt say how long it takes though. have i been correctly informed i will just be paid a week in arrears when they do start paying me as the other thread says 4week arrears.

sorry dont want to seem a pain

Murgatroyd21

Usually adding work details is pretty straightforward as long as you have all the employers details, name of employer, address including postcode or better still PAYE ref for the employer (pay dept should be able to give you that). Often updated by the next payment date. Problems can start with childcare costs, particularly dependant on the amount you claim. How much will you be claiming per week childcare costs?

karenx

It will take a good few weeks for the childcare element to get paid to you. They need to do checks to make sure the childcare provider is registered etc. Plus they will only pay upto 80% so you will still have a shortfall you will need to pay out your other benefits/wages.
There was a girl on here a few weeks ago waiting weeks and weeks on it. And a nanny saying they had to end the contract with the parents as they were waiting that long on getting childcare paid.

UnderPressure

I wonder if the nursery fees would be considered a crisis for the purposes of a crisis loan? Might be worth a call to the crisis loan people and see what they say?

After all if you cannot pay for care for the children you cant start your new job surely that us a crisis??

I would also give tax credit a call and explain the situation to them, Im sure this is not the first time they will have come across this situation there may be something they can do for you?

Best of luck I hope it all works out for you and well done with the job

nuttyelle

hi. the childcare costs are £170 a week, which from the online calculator works out about right for getting 80% the only problem is this bloody upfront fees.... if they pay monthly in arrears and ive got to pay monthly in advance i am well and truely screwed. not got the money now for first month and all first lot of wage/ months tax credits will be taken for this month and wont have next months..... ah think i will ring job centre, mistake coming off benefits i now think.
doesnt look like anything will be sorted in time, and i am not going to have my kids starve or not have heating on for them.

THIS SYSTEM SUCKS!!!! THEY WONDER WHY PEOPLE STAY ON BENEFITS?

it wasnt this bad when had first child in 2003 when they just brought in the tax credits, that was straight forward then and i worked then too.:mad:

MrsDavo

Hey,

I am the same as you really - came off benefits 19/09/10 and started work on the 20/09/10.

I am STILL waiting on tax credits updating my claim.

I got the Job Grant on the 21/09/10 after applying on the 15th.

I have had to beg the job centre to help me stay in work, and they have agreed to pay 2 weeks childcare - meaning I still owe her 4 weeks worth. Thats through the In Work Dependants Fund ( I think thats what its called )

The Tax Credits offered me £50 and that was all.

When I called and explained that if they didnt hurry up I would end up losing my job, they said there was nothing they could do!
My MP has also written to them on the 12th of October. My case was sent to escalations on the 1st of October, and I was told someone would call me within 10 working days - that ended a week ago and no one has called.

I have 3 weeks to get it sorted now ( meaning 8 weeks with no tax credits ) and if it's not done by then I will have to give up my job.

Try anything you can but don't hold out hope for any help from tax credits any time soon.

concerned43

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/employment/government_employment_schemes.htm
Return-to-work credit

If you're claiming Incapacity Benefit, Income Support because of incapacity or Employment and Support Allowance and you take a job where you're working for at least 16 hours a week, you may be able to get a return-to-work credit worth £40 a week. You only get this if your earnings are less than £15,000 a year and your job is expected to last at least five weeks. Ask at your local Jobcentre Plus office for more details.