FT Student & WTC

lovetowinacar

I have asked this before for my friend and have had contradicting information. She has contacted tax credits and been told that providing she still works she can claim WTC as well as being a full time student. Just yesterday someone on her course in the same position stated that she can't get WTC although she works as well as being a full time student and that she has been given incorrect information.

The course is called full time but actual hours attending are over 2 days only so she works 4 other days. She doesn't get either the student grant or maintenance grant due to prior study but qualifies for some adult dependant grant based on income from her job being low.

Is there anyone who frequents these boards who works for tax credits? I have suggested giving them another ring to clarify, if may just be that the student friend has given her the wrong information. The website is very unclear since it states full time students may qualify for working tax credits but doesn't state in what circumstances. There is no childcare requirement or childrecare grant being claimed.

Hope that is sufficient info - also she is a mature student, married, not disabled.

Oldernotwiser

How many hours work does she do and is she a lone parent?

lovetowinacar

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

How many hours work does she do and is she a lone parent?

No has a husband and he is a carer for their disabled child although the husband is not disabled neither is my friend. She works on minimum wage and does between 24 and 35 hours a week shift work so it varies and does not work on the two days a week when she attends college to study for a foundation degree which is called full time study. Sounds confusing to me and I did ask question before she was all good and happy and started then another student insisted she has got the wrong information hence reasking. I did suggest ringing and asking the tc people to confirm in writing or something such like but she said she took ages to get hold of them last time, so I offered to post the question in the hope that a wtc employee might visit these boards and be able to answer

lovetowinacar

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

How many hours work does she do and is she a lone parent?

Will the number of working hours she does make a difference to the whether she (as a full time student) can claim WTC Older not wiser? I appreciate that the number of hours working will alter the actual claim. She works as much as she can on minimum wage since she doesn't get the student loan or maintenance loan at all and only qualifies for the adult dependant grant because her husbands income is £55.55 per week as a full time carer. They do not receive HB,or income support but will now qualify for the student part of council tax off the total council tax bill.

Can anyone help with this? It is a bit different hence my thoughts that the other student may have given her the wrong info and no doubt the person at WTC would have given the right answer at the start. Many thanks.

MrsManda

I don't think it matters that she's a student.
Providing she meets the working and maximum income criteria she should be able to claim.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_10034876

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/who-qualifies/workingtaxcredit/work.htm

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/TaxCredits/Gettingstarted/whoqualifies/WorkingTaxCreditthebasics/DG_172728

LL30

I'm in a slightly different situation (single Mum) but I recently spoke to my local student finance dept who passed me on to what they described as 'Welfare rights for students' (!) I'm hoping to do my MA (full time) next year, and they informed me that as long as I did my 16 hours work, I could still get WTC, CTC and help for childcare. I'm suspicious...would be interesting to find out what the answer is (I'd ring TCs but I'm not sure I have the patience atm)

lovetowinacar

MrsManda wrote: »

I don't think it matters that she's a student.
Providing she meets the working and maximum income criteria she should be able to claim.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_10034876

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/who-qualifies/workingtaxcredit/work.htm

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/TaxCredits/Gettingstarted/whoqualifies/WorkingTaxCreditthebasics/DG_172728

LL30 wrote: »

I'm in a slightly different situation (single Mum) but I recently spoke to my local student finance dept who passed me on to what they described as 'Welfare rights for students' (!) I'm hoping to do my MA (full time) next year, and they informed me that as long as I did my 16 hours work, I could still get WTC, CTC and help for childcare. I'm suspicious...would be interesting to find out what the answer is (I'd ring TCs but I'm not sure I have the patience atm)

Many thanks for your replies. I have followed the links and printed the information for my friend and given her to keep hold of. It appears that as long as she works as well as being a student then she is fine. I have advised her to inform WTC if any information changes at any time.

Many many thanks for your replies, it appears to be a confusing area and I know she is keen to get it right. I have suggested she show the information to her fellow student who may also then qualify.

brians_daughter

Student loans special support grant & parents allowance is disregarded for TC purposes. They will include and adult depandant grant she may get.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/wtc2.pdf

which states

We take the full amount of the following types of income into account when we work out how much tax credits to pay.

The Adult Dependant's Grant paid to students with a spouse, unmarried partner or a dependent adult.



I am a student. Will my loan or grant be taken into account if I
claim Child Tax Credit?

We don't take student loans or grants to meet the cost of tuition fees,childcare, or the Parent's Learning Allowance into account. But you shouldtell us if you receive an Adult Dependant's Grant for a spouse, unmarried partner or a dependent adult.If you are a student nurse or a health profession trainee and you receive abursary under the NHS Bursary Scheme, you do not need to tell us about these payments in your claim.


childcare (not relevant to your friend but may be to others) You can claim from SLC OR TC NOT BOTH

As long as normal rules are followed ie works the minimum requirements and is earning under the threshold she can claim. TBH i am ssuprised her uni/college arent bambarding her with all the relevant info. I get 1 or 2 emails a week saying i can get x y or z.

TBH some peoples attitudes dismay me.. you say shes not rang TC as 'it took ages to get hold of them last time' if it were me i would make the effort to make a call to get the correct info rather than relying on a forum. Not a dig at you BTW but some peoples trains of thought do amaze me ;)