working as supply teacher & benefits

bridgend_girl

Please can someone help me. So confused!! I was made redundant from my part-time well paid offfice job in sept 2010, took on a part-time job at minimum wage in oct 2010 but it was too physical and my pre-existing joint problem flared up so I left after being on unpaid sick leave. As I could find nothing else to fit around kids I have signed on to a teachers supply agency (wanted to avoid supply work as the ups and downs of wages is risky and scary when I have sole financial responsibility for my 4 kids) and am being offered about 3 days a week work with them at £90 a day. I previously received WFTC and CTC and am still receiving it. However I'm not sure whether i'm actually entitled to it and neither is any of the working tax credit I speak to. I really do not want to be unemployed but this is the only work i can find right now and i'm scared they will ask for their WTC back.

I don't know how many hours a week i will regularly work, I don't know my monthly pay and am not sure whether I fit the 4 weeks work rule and whether this changes in school holidays.

bridgend_girl

someone out there please help!!

lovetowinacar

bridgend_girl wrote: »

Please can someone help me. So confused!! I was made redundant from my part-time well paid offfice job in sept 2010, took on a part-time job at minimum wage in oct 2010 but it was too physical and my pre-existing joint problem flared up so I left after being on unpaid sick leave. As I could find nothing else to fit around kids I have signed on to a teachers supply agency (wanted to avoid supply work as the ups and downs of wages is risky and scary when I have sole financial responsibility for my 4 kids) and am being offered about 3 days a week work with them at £90 a day. I previously received WFTC and CTC and am still receiving it. However I'm not sure whether i'm actually entitled to it and neither is any of the working tax credit I speak to. I really do not want to be unemployed but this is the only work i can find right now and i'm scared they will ask for their WTC back.

I don't know how many hours a week i will regularly work, I don't know my monthly pay and am not sure whether I fit the 4 weeks work rule and whether this changes in school holidays.

To qualify for working tax credit you have to be working so I would contact them and let them know what hours you have been working since you left your part time job so that a correct assessment for WTC can be made. I would then give them an estimate of the hours you expect to be working in the future. It is really important to let them know what you are actually working to avoid an overpayment which you will end up having to pay back.

Good luck.

*doodle*_2

I have done it and was that busy I had to turn some work down. Have you got QTS? I had to provide copies of my teaching qualifications when I registered with a supply agency. I will be suprised if you get supply teaching jobs without QTS.

bridgend_girl

thanks - i do have QTS and there's lots of work - i've let the wtc people know that i'm doing supply. It was the 'hour many hours will you be working?' questions i couldn't really answer. I'm booked for the next 2 weeks covering a paternity leave then nothing but will probably be offered odd days and some exam invigilation but who knows?

What about the summer - the website suggests that term time workers need only work 16+ hours in term times. however another wtc person said she believed this only covered permanent term time workers not casual staff and that i may need to sign on over the summer hols as i wouldn't meet the 16 hour rule for more than 4 weeks. However she admitted that she was unsure of the exact rules concerning my case.

not good and v worrying!

*doodle*_2

ahh when I read your post I thought that you didn't have it. Tbh, I now do supply one day a week (I have a perm PT job and I work supply on my day off so that I can save up for a few things) and, this academic year, I have had work almost every week but only in two schools. Once your face is known and, if you are good, schools will rebook you.

I haven't got a clue about tax credits and I hope that everything works in your favour. It is [EMAIL="!!!!py"]!!!!py[/EMAIL] that WTC can't answer your questions

allen35

Depending on the ages of your children, you should be claiming Income Support if any of them are under 7 which will give entitlement to full council tax benefit and assistance with mortgage/rent.

if you then receive work below 16 hours you would need to declare this income and benefits would be reduced accordingly, you are entitled to earn £20 per week before earnings has an affect.

I don't see how you were entitled to working tax credits since leaving your last job as you weren't receiving SSP or ESA and therefore you have probably been overpaid.

Did you inform HMRC of the change of circumstances when you finished work.

bridgend_girl

i did let them know that i was on the sick but not receiving pay as i didn't qualify for ssp. i was told that according to the 4 week rule i would need to sign of wtc if i didn't return to work or find alternative work of at least 16 hours per week. I therefore started supply work before the 4 weeks ran out as i can supervise lessons fine but not do the manual job! I know it's confusing and i can see why it's hard to know whether i qualify for help.

my youngest child is already 7 and i haven't claimed income support since leaving college in the late 80's. I really want to keep on working but supply work is my only option right now but unless i can qualify for wtc top ups then i can't afford to work. daft isn't it? the supply work is so unreliable and has no entitlement to holiday or sick pay or pension etc.