Childcare tax credit eligibility

ManicMum

Hello

I have a 50% chance of getting the perfect job for me as it is unadvertised and at my friend's work. Two people going for it. I have been looking for a while, had a couple of unsuccessful interviews and can not believe my luck in getting this chance. Thing is it's 14 hours. My husband works full time. Would it need to be 16 hours to get childcare help? I am also a registered childminder but my current (and only) client may choose to go elsewhere as I would not always be available and she works shifts. However, even if I could still get some childminding work, it wouldn't require childcare as I'd be at home. Or is that irrelevant? Am I able to use the other two hours I need to qualify for paperwork, marketing for the hours I am available and keeping abreast of legislation? I could then do those two hours when it suited me, without childcare requirement. Would that then qualify me for help with the 14 hours I do need childcare for? it would be more than 14 hours with the travel either side. I could then look for some other part time work as obviously can not be marketing for ever and may not find a client to fit around my primary job.

What are my options?

Many thanks for help.

karenx

It needs to be 16 hours every week, you will get upto 70% off your childcare paid depending on your joint income

JimmyTheWig

I don't believe that the rules say your work must be of the kind which requires childcare.
There's certainly no rule to say that the childcare you use should be at the same time as you are working.
For example you could work nights when your partner has the children then get funded childcare during the day while you catch up on sleep.

So as far as I am concerned, as long as you do at least 2 hours extra work each week (either self-employed or employed) then you'll qualify.

shedboy94

ManicMum wrote: »

Hello

I have a 50% chance of getting the perfect job for me as it is unadvertised and at my friend's work. Two people going for it. I have been looking for a while, had a couple of unsuccessful interviews and can not believe my luck in getting this chance. Thing is it's 14 hours. My husband works full time. Would it need to be 16 hours to get childcare help? I am also a registered childminder but my current (and only) client may choose to go elsewhere as I would not always be available and she works shifts. However, even if I could still get some childminding work, it wouldn't require childcare as I'd be at home. Or is that irrelevant? Am I able to use the other two hours I need to qualify for paperwork, marketing for the hours I am available and keeping abreast of legislation? I could then do those two hours when it suited me, without childcare requirement. Would that then qualify me for help with the 14 hours I do need childcare for? it would be more than 14 hours with the travel either side. I could then look for some other part time work as obviously can not be marketing for ever and may not find a client to fit around my primary job.

What are my options?

Many thanks for help.

Simple answer to that question is no - the hours must for remunerative work - you would not be earning any money doing paperwork or reading up on legislation.

JimmyTheWig

shedboy94 wrote: »

Simple answer to that question is no - the hours must for remunerative work - you would not be earning any money doing paperwork or reading up on legislation.

But surely it is all part of the job of being a self-employed childminder?

[Not convinced you could argue it for two hours each and every week, mind you!]

wendyloub

Is there chance of overtime some weeks? my boss was good when I started my job because it's seasonal, I worked shorter hours in winter, any extra I did she kept a note of, then paid me for them in the months where I was short. Now thankfully I have more hours so we don't need to do this anymore. Could they pay you for 16 then you give them the money back, or would that be very wrong?

karenx

Yes very wrong!! And how would that go through the companys books or paye??

cte1111

From April 2012, it will need to be 24 hours per week to qualify for the childcare element of tax credits.

ManicMum

Hello

thanks for replies. I didn't realise I could do a job at night then claim for childcare for sleeping during the day? I've been looking for work but never even considered that.

Is that true that I would need to do 24 hours from April? If so, there's no point taking this job. They just told me yesterday they can make it 16 hours. God, why are the government making it so hard? I thought that 24 hours was just for claims for working tax credit, not for the childcare part of it. How many people can magically find another 8 hours? Also it is pushing parents in to working ever more hours when they may have young children at home.

Totally p'd off now.

Murgatroyd21

No, you're right, it only has to be a minimum of 24 hours (combined hours with at least one working a minimum of 16) for WTC. For childcare it is a minimum of 16 hours each (makes 32 so easily satisfies the wtc criteria). As your partner is full time, you need to work a minimum 16 for the childcare help.

ManicMum

thanks Murgatroyd. Hope that's right. Need to get this application in by the morning. Hubby does at least 40 hours a week and I will be 16.


cheers.:beer: