Working Tax Credits - income not same as 2009-2010?

thriftymanc

Question on behalf of a friend who is trying to fill in his Working Tax Credits claim form.

It asks him how many hours he works now and the name of his current employer. However it does not ask him how much he earns now. It only asks him how much he earned from April 2009 - April 2010. He was made redundant this summer, and his old job paid too much for him to be eligible for WTC.

When he called up the WTC helpline to ask if he was eligible now, they said yes, but how can he get that information across on the form if it doesn't ask him what his current salary is? Do they just know - i.e. they can see it on their system? Or is he meant to include a letter saying what his new job pays?

Thanks!

zagfles

He needs to apply giving his income last year. They'll then write back saying his award is zero. He then needs to phone up reporting a "change of circumstances", and give his estimated income for this year. He'll then get a revised award and get what he's entitled to. Yes, it is a very silly way of doing things - blame Gordon Brown!

If he includes a letter with the claim they might do it in one go, but IME extra info you send with claims/renewals tend to go missing

delboysmith

zagfles wrote: »

He needs to apply giving his income last year. They'll then write back saying his award is zero. He then needs to phone up reporting a "change of circumstances", and give his estimated income for this year. He'll then get a revised award and get what he's entitled to. Yes, it is a very silly way of doing things - blame Gordon Brown!

If he includes a letter with the claim they might do it in one go, but IME extra info you send with claims/renewals tend to go missing

They do not tend to go missing, usually send back without being looked at if important documents like birth certificates or shredded if not important. Application forms scanned through computer and change of circumstances done separately