working less than 16hours advice

websdesign

hi,

I am currently claiming jobseekers allowance and have been since october 2010, I have finally been offered a job, but it is only 16hours a week, on minimum wage.

I am just curious to know if i am entitled to claim anything on top of that as i have worked out, after cost of travel, etc.. i will be worse off than i am now.

Im 27, back to living at home, and have no kids.

I have called working tax credits and they said i was unable to claim unless i was working 30 hours.
They advised me to call the jobcentre but they are currently closed.

Any advice is appriciated.

drwho2011

Even if you are "worse" off I would still advise you to take the job as long you can continue to meet your existing expenses because it is a lot easier to find employment if you are already in work.

On NMW @ 16hrs works out as approx £96 per week, if your living at home then unless the cheapest practical travel costs are more than £30 per week then I'd definitely take it.

websdesign

im taking the job, for my own self pride more than anything...

I will just accept the fact that i may be less off working this job for the time
being... but i dont want to be struggling and working only to find out
i was entitled to something..

so was curious to know if there was anything out there to help.

I have never worked 16hours or less before so i dont even know if i would be taxed?

drwho2011

websdesign wrote: »

im taking the job, for my own self pride more than anything...

I will just accept the fact that i may be less off working this job for the time
being... but i dont want to be struggling and working only to find out
i was entitled to something..

so was curious to know if there was anything out there to help.

Speak to your JCP before you start work, get a copy of contract etc and see if they can give you any help towards your travel expenses.

If you have claimed JSA for over 6 months and are working 16hrs (considered full time) then you are likely to get the Job Grant (which isn't a lot but better than nothing).

They will pay you JSA up until the day before you start work, assuming you sign off correctly.

As for tax it is dependent on your earnings this year, but you can earn £7475 a year before income tax and your below the NI threshold so you are likely to be tax free if you haven't had any other income except JSA this tax year.

websdesign

I was offered the job at 4.30 yesterday, to start monday at 7.30am
So obviously the job centre is closed for the weekend.

So that would only be possible, after i officially start on the monday.

Yeah i have been on jobseekers for over a year and it has been my only income.

duchy

Those thirty hours don't need to come from one single job.

For example I have a contract to work 25 hours a week guaranteed but also do several hours a week self employed doing something completely different-which tips me over the threshold.

This could be something like an Avon round, bar work, cleaning, ironing, gardening -anything that brings you in declarable income no matter how small(you'd need to fill out a tax form next year if it's self employed but by the time you've declared allowable expenses you'll pay little or no tax).

Odds are it'll only bring you an extra £30 a week in tax credit (plus the extra earnings) but who knows the extra job might turn into something very worthwhile and your main income in the future-at worst it'll keep you going until you find a job with more hours/money.

And congratulations on finding a job !!

websdesign

Thanks

I am a website designer by trade, and have been doing that since i left school, but obviously struggled to find work since i was made redundant over a year ago.. so always tried and had in my mind to go self employed but never came about due to lack of funds.

This job is only a cleaning job in a car showroom, so i know this is only something to get me back on the ladder as mention in previous post, you wait ages for one bus, another quickly follows.

Another hurdle is im starting a security course at a college which is even further away on tuesday for 3 weeks. The cost of travelling there aswell.

BigAunty

What funds do you need to be a website designer, (I'm assuming you already have a PC and internet connection)? !

Go to the businesslink website where they have excellent info on how to produce a business plan and in it you can identify all set-up costs.

If you do decide to work part time PAYE and then part time as a freelance webdesigner to work 30 hours to qualify for tax credits, please keep your eye on the proposed changes to the benefit system in the move to the Universal Credit system in the next few years.

Also, do note that there are many posts on this forum from the self employed who claim tax credits who are being investigated by the HMRC. They have been asked not just to supply copies of things like invoices, but also to prove that they've worked the hours they've claimed, and provide information like adverts/marketing, diary appointments and so on. This has tripped up many of the SE claiming WTC - they've kept basic financial records to submit tax returns but really can't provide any evidence that they were actually in renumerative employment for the hours they claim. See if you can dig up these threads - make sure you keep meticulous records of time spent and lots of documentary proof of finding clients, doing the work, etc.

Tazz214

Speaking with experience (JCP adviser) you will not be entitled to working tax credits unless you can find another part te job which then takes you over the 30 hours threshold. You will no longer be entitled to any jsa either. If you can put in 14 hours a week through self employment you will then qualify for tax credits however this is only the case if your business is registered with HMRC. You must make sure you ring JCP to sign off in order to get any job grants you may qualify for.