MSE News: Families must prepare for tax credits cut

jackieblack

ntokmetz wrote: »

"If you you have one child, the maximum income to be eligible will normally be £26,000 a year"

Does anyone know if this refers to combined income for both parents or whether it is £26000 income for each parent?

Many thanks! :-)

It's combined

Jaffa_cake_4

andrew-b wrote: »

No. The disability element is for disabled workers only where the disabled worker is working 16 hours or more and deemed as at a disadvantage of getting a job.

.

Thanks, that's what I thought.

jellyhead

maryannep0151 wrote: »

Hi i am due to go back to work on 8th may after having my first baby me and my partner each earn 17,000 a year and have been told we will not get any help with our childcare costs even though i am going back to work full time is this correct surely we should get some help or it would be more beneficial for me not to return to work? help me please

I don't know about the childcare help, but surely it's worth earning 17k? How much is childcare?

Is it a job you want to keep? I didn't go back to work after having my baby, but I didn't particularly love the job and it was minimum wage, so for me it wasn't worth it because they pay wouldn't have covered childcare for the baby.

Murgatroyd21

maryannep0151 wrote: »

Hi i am due to go back to work on 8th may after having my first baby me and my partner each earn 17,000 a year and have been told we will not get any help with our childcare costs even though i am going back to work full time is this correct surely we should get some help or it would be more beneficial for me not to return to work? help me please

Would need to know what the total income was for 2011/12, how many weeks in each tax year you were on statutory maternity leave with smp, childcare costs that you pay and the income figure you expect for 2012/13

samantham06

hi, have read all through this thread and just wondering if anyone could help me, as there doesnt seem to be anything about my situation.
Im a 26 year old single parent with one child, I work 20 hours a week and pay (averaged out over year) £100 childcare a week. I currently get £181.50 a week tax credits- (combined WTC and CTC).
2010/2011 income was only around £500,
2011/2012 will be around £1500 (as I only started work in Jan) I estimate that 2012/2013 will be in the region of £7000.

I get some help with housing benefit but have to pay around £30 a week myself.

Does anyone know if mine will go down?? As i went onto the calculator and not sure if I did it right, as it said I would be losing nearly £50 a month!!
Im not sure if this is right, as obviously I struggle to make ends meet at the moment, am not on a high wage..so if I lose that much to be honest Il have to reconsider working!! I cant believe that the govenment would cruicfy single parents and take such a hige chunk off of income when they are trying to work to be better off..doesnt seem to make sense!! I can understand taking it off the top earner.. but those on a low income who are already struggling??

Any help greatly appreciated!

Murgatroyd21

samantham06 wrote: »

hi, have read all through this thread and just wondering if anyone could help me, as there doesnt seem to be anything about my situation.
Im a 26 year old single parent with one child, I work 20 hours a week and pay (averaged out over year) £100 childcare a week. I currently get £181.50 a week tax credits- (combined WTC and CTC).
2010/2011 income was only around £500,
2011/2012 will be around £1500 (as I only started work in Jan) I estimate that 2012/2013 will be in the region of £7000.

I get some help with housing benefit but have to pay around £30 a week myself.

Does anyone know if mine will go down?? As i went onto the calculator and not sure if I did it right, as it said I would be losing nearly £50 a month!!
Im not sure if this is right, as obviously I struggle to make ends meet at the moment, am not on a high wage..so if I lose that much to be honest Il have to reconsider working!! I cant believe that the govenment would cruicfy single parents and take such a hige chunk off of income when they are trying to work to be better off..doesnt seem to make sense!! I can understand taking it off the top earner.. but those on a low income who are already struggling??

Any help greatly appreciated!

About £206pw

maryannep0151

jellyhead wrote: »

I don't know about the childcare help, but surely it's worth earning 17k? How much is childcare?

Is it a job you want to keep? I didn't go back to work after having my baby, but I didn't particularly love the job and it was minimum wage, so for me it wasn't worth it because they pay wouldn't have covered childcare for the baby.

We have only just got a mortgage so our monthly payments are high and our traveling expenses are also high and the childcare is 600 p/m so to think that if i didnt return to work i wouldnt have to pay my travel expenses or nursery fees surely i would be better off?

maryannep0151

Murgatroyd21 wrote: »

Would need to know what the total income was for 2011/12, how many weeks in each tax year you were on statutory maternity leave with smp, childcare costs that you pay and the income figure you expect for 2012/13

from 2012/13 my annual income after tax will be £13,879.47 and before tax it will be £16,936.92 I started my maternity leave on the 9th September 2011 and received 8 weeks full pay then went to smp and I am returning to work on 8th May 2012. My nursery fees are £145 a week as she needs to go to nursery full time. I do not know what my yearly earnings where for the 11/12 period but so far it is £13,516.75 i receive £514.92 smp a month which is a lot less than my mortgage hence returning to work early.
Thanks

bestpud

Murgatroyd21 wrote: »

1 They would only get wtc if 1 of them were working 16 hours and met some other criteria, not with a total of 16 hours between them

(1a) Why?

2 Quantify what's reasonable and why?

3 It is if the hours aren't available and as a government you do nothing to make those hours available. Can you show in all these circumstances they are available or is it just a habit to make sweeping statements?

4 Based on what evidence? Or is this just really your perception and view and use of emotive language rather than based on any hard facts?

5 Yet again sweeping generalisations, no evidence to show there was a choice for all affected. It is just as easy for me to say they want to earn enough to pay more tax and claim less or no benefits. But then, do you really believe the majority are choosing to remain on incomes so low simply to avoid paying tax?

Of course it's unpalatable - these families have had it good for a long time and the thought of working for their money is probably quite difficult. That doesn't mean it's right to continue paying able bodied people to work part time.

And yes, I do believe there is many families who choose to work the minimum hours because they've had their money made up handsomely with tax credits and other benefits.

There is no incentive to do otherwise under the current system but I'm sure most will find the extra hours when their pockets are hit hard - it focuses the mind.

DelBoyPhil

Mine will go up by £300 a year!