Mystery Shopping Thread 21 *PLEASE READ THE OP FIRST**PLEASE NO CLIENT NAMES OR FEES*

spender

NIM I hope that you are OK.

N.I.M

I'm fine now but I'm not happy about it. And am worried the MSC won't pay me cause I got the refund for the food

Becles

Flygirl767 wrote: »

Seriously, you don't think that claiming you only make £2k profit every year when supposedly working 30 hours a week won't ring any alarm bells with HMRC? Who in their right mind would keep a business going that only makes that little year after year? It is blatently obvious that you are milking the system to get the maximum WTC and housing benefit.

That's why they are making changes with the Universal Credit in 2013. There are too many self employed people supposedly working very long hours for next to nothing and claiming maximum working tax credits and other benefits.

When the Universal Credit comes in, if you state you are working 30 hours, you'll be assumed to be earning 30 hours at minimum wage and your tax credits and other benefits will be adjusted accordingly.

Of course anyone already declaring that they earn minimum wage or above has nothing to worry about.

N.I.M wrote: »

I'm fine now but I'm not happy about it. And am worried the MSC won't pay me cause I got the refund for the food

If it's the MS company I'm thinking of, I'd give them a ring on Monday morning. They are usually very understanding.

wordsearch

Little confused about the claiming buses as expenses thing - if I am only doing one a week on the weekend (so no work), can I claim for it in each case?

yonk

HappyMJ wrote: »

How much profit should I make doing 30 hours a week mystery shopping?

This is one of those questions that is unique to the individual and what jobs they take on and that are available in their area.

HappyMJ

Becles wrote: »

That's why they are making changes with the Universal Credit in 2013. There are too many self employed people supposedly working very long hours for next to nothing and claiming maximum working tax credits and other benefits.

When the Universal Credit comes in, if you state you are working 30 hours, you'll be assumed to be earning 30 hours at minimum wage and your tax credits and other benefits will be adjusted accordingly.

Of course anyone already declaring that they earn minimum wage or above has nothing to worry about.

It's actually going to be almost that but in reverse. So....I claim £2,000 profit over 46.4 weeks a year that's about 7 hours a week at minimum wages. As that is not enough to be a full time job I would be subject to conditionality. i.e subject to the same requirements as someone who is unemployed. I would have to look to increase my profit and prove it somehow. There are no hard limits such as 16 hours or 30 hours in universal credits. It's supposed to encourage people to do just a few more hours and instead of losing 96% of benefits as is currently then they'll only lose 65% of credits instead and they'll most probably be better off.

Is it possible to make more than minimum wages for 30 hours per week when travel costs and time travelling are taken into account when doing mystery shopping?

Boredupnorth

HappyMJ wrote: »

How much profit should I make doing 30 hours a week mystery shopping?

1560 hours a year and a 2 grand profit, £1.28 an hour...... you WILL get caught; it is so blatantly obvious you are screwing the system….I hope it’s really soon to

Boredupnorth

HappyMJ wrote: »

Is it possible to make more than minimum wages for 30 hours per week when travel costs and time travelling are taken into account when doing mystery shopping?

Yes very much so, I keep a family of 4 WITHOUT having to claim a penny in benefits by MS'ing and my accounts are clean as a whistle. I find that if i get off my !!!! and work very hard I can make a living wage without having to look for had outs

HappyMJ

Boredupnorth wrote: »

Yes very much so, I keep a family of 4 WITHOUT having to claim a penny in benefits by MS'ing and my accounts are clean as a whistle. I find that if i get off my !!!! and work very hard I can make a living wage without having to look for had outs

I would need to earn £14,300 to not be entitled to any benefits. That's quite a lot. I haven't seen that many MS jobs that pay that much.

Boredupnorth

HappyMJ wrote: »

I would need to earn £14,300 to not be entitled to any benefits. That's quite a lot. I haven't seen that many MS jobs that pay that much.

Maybe you should look harder then, they are out there and the money are are talking about is not massive. 35 jobs a week would see you clearing that....