What am I entitled to?

Dezkenob

Firstly, hi there. This is the first time I've posted in these forums but I'm a regular browser of this website and these forums and have found this place to be most helpful in the past.

Anyway, I figured I'd ask a question about what myself and my wife are entitled to based on me being out of work due to long term sickness and my wife recently (within the last 3 months) starting a new job working for 12 hours a week which has literally just gone up to 18 hours.

As it stands I claim income support with a sickness element top up. We get Child Tax Credits based on us having 4 year old twins. We also get Child Benefit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

My wife had to give up her job soon after returning to work after being on maternity leave. She gave up her job due to my illness and me not being able to care for my 1 year old twins on my own aswell as dealing with my illness. This was 4 years ago.

Our children have now started full time school and my wife has just got a job working for 18 hours a week.

I have also recently started doing permitted work as a self employed artist working for 15 hours a week (although as yet I haven't made a single penny from that side of things).

Obviously my wifes' new wages affect the amount of income support we get which is fine and we are no better or worse off it seems so far.

However, we are unsure of whether or not we will now claim working tax credits or continue to claim child tax credits or can we claim both? Also, we're not sure if we will still be entitled to some help with Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Credit.

Apparently my wife is allowed to work upto 24 hours a week without us having to come off income support although she would earn too much for us to be able to still get any money from income support but it means we are still kept on the 'books' at with them unless her hours go above 24 hours a week and/or I work more than 16 hours a week.

I'm finding the whole thing a minefield and am just not sure what we're entitled to etc,.

Obviously we will let the Tax Credits people know that she is now working 18 hours a week but we don't know if we will still get help with Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit and just aren't sure where we stand with regards to Working Tax Credits and Child Tax Credits or what is the best option.

It seems both Tax Credits have their plus points such as free school meals if on Child Tax Credits and help with Childcare costs if on Working Tax Credits. I'm sure I read somewhere that we can claim both Tax Credits but I may be wrong.

Sorry for the lengthy post but I figured I'd post as much information as possible without posting too much personal stuff.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

MrsManda

Fill your details into the benefits calculators below for estimates of what you may be entitled to

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

https://www.dwpe-services.direct.gov.uk/portal/page/portal/ba/lp?_piref278_36249_278_36248_36248.__ora_navig=

Your wife is likely to be able to claim working tax credits. You can get child tax credits at the same time - there's a quick questionnaire for entitlement to tax credits here:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/TaxCreditsandChildBenefit/TaxCredits/Gettingstarted/whoqualifies/DG_181268

Do you get Employment Support Allowance?
Do you claim Disability Living Allowance? (You are eligible if you have care or mobility needs)