WFTC, contract hours or average hours?

SunnyCyprus

hello Money Savers,

just wondering if anyone can help me on this one...
have just tried to phone the WFTC for advice, but as it was 7.45pm and thier helpline shuts at 8, i couldnt get through!

my contract at work has just changed, from 16hours (which qualified me to recieve WFTC), to just 8, (thanks, employer..'needs of the business'....).

i am worried that i won't now be able to get WFTC. i am a single parent, so under the new rules i need to work 16 hours a week. Someone at work told me that i don't need a contract for 16hours, i just need to work an average of 16 hours a week, worked out over the tax year, and i will still qualify for this benefit. Is this right, or do i need that magic 16?

many thanks.

karenx

Is there 16 hours guaranteed every week? Or will it just be an as and when?

As if you only do 8 hours most weeks, when you tell tax credits your income for the year they will be able to work out if you have worked roughly 16 hours every week or not?

tori.k

I was told by the tax credit helpline that it's hours worked not contracted my contract dropped from 30hrs to 15hrs last year, it's becoming the norm for low or zero contracts but the income speaks for itself, so as long as your earning over the 5k it wont raise an eyebrow

fogartyblue.

tori.k wrote: »

I was told by the tax credit helpline that it's hours worked not contracted my contract dropped from 30hrs to 15hrs last year, it's becoming the norm for low or zero contracts but the income speaks for itself, so as long as your earning over the 5k it wont raise an eyebrow

Yes.

16 hour minimum will have to show at least £4669 in the year.
24 hour minimum will have to show at least £7004 in the year.
30 hour minimum will have to show at least £8755 in the year.

shedboy94

SunnyCyprus wrote: »

hello Money Savers,

just wondering if anyone can help me on this one...
have just tried to phone the WFTC for advice, but as it was 7.45pm and thier helpline shuts at 8, i couldnt get through!

my contract at work has just changed, from 16hours (which qualified me to recieve WFTC), to just 8, (thanks, employer..'needs of the business'....).

i am worried that i won't now be able to get WFTC. i am a single parent, so under the new rules i need to work 16 hours a week. Someone at work told me that i don't need a contract for 16hours, i just need to work an average of 16 hours a week, worked out over the tax year, and i will still qualify for this benefit. Is this right, or do i need that magic 16?

many thanks.

What new rules?
To qualify for WTC as a single parent you have always been required to work a MINIMUM 16hpw

SunnyCyprus

thanks chaps, will get on the phone to them again today.
alright, shedboy, chill out!! i've only been a single parent for 5 weeks!!! am still getting used to all of this! i wasnt aware of the hours rule for them before now, but i am now ;-)

SunnyCyprus

also, my employer has said he would try his best to give me 16 each week, but if the hours aren't available, then so be it. also, doesnt help me during paid holiday weeks.
Have started applying for different work now, really dont want to leave, but feel like i dont have much choice.

tori.k

if your employer can make up hour's more often than not,have a look at something like TNT post i just signed up on line and had an offer the next week, or your local paper, I deliver leaflets with the kids help the money goes towards our holiday, money is rubbish but it could make up your hour's.

I've been in your shoes when i first went back into work i ended up 1K in debt short term as it took so long for benefit's to be sorted would have been more than likely worse if i had been going the other way as housing took an age to sort out, but without income from work to fall back on i'd probably still be in a hole now, if you can keep your job going it will be worth it in the term, the saying is true that it's easier to find other work when your in a job then not

Murgatroyd21

Not quite as simple as saying if the income appears right for the year.

Most times you would be asked over any 4 week period, how many weeks would you be working less than 16 hours, if more than 1, you are not working the required hours. Otherwise people would be able to do 60 hour weeks to get the income up, then do nothing for long periods. It just doesn't work like that, and I suspect you could tell the adviser that tale and how you are earning the figures produced above, but don't be surprised when the letter comes through the door ending your entitlement and requesting overpayments be recovered! RTI will put paid to this too.

fogartyblue.

Murgatroyd21 wrote: »

Not quite as simple as saying if the income appears right for the year.

Most times you would be asked over any 4 week period, how many weeks would you be working less than 16 hours, if more than 1, you are not working the required hours. Otherwise people would be able to do 60 hour weeks to get the income up, then do nothing for long periods. It just doesn't work like that, and I suspect you could tell the adviser that tale and how you are earning the figures produced above, but don't be surprised when the letter comes through the door ending your entitlement and requesting overpayments be recovered! RTI will put paid to this too.

I agree, what the original question was about was - has there to be a contract for 16 hours as opposed to working those hours but not having a contract for them.

The answer from me was that it is the hours worked, not the contracted hours in the OP's case. This was the equivalent of........

You are quite right you have to work those hours or have them averaged over a reasonable period of time.

Murgatroyd21

fogartyblue. wrote: »

I agree, what the original question was about was - has there to be a contract for 16 hours as opposed to working those hours but not having a contract for them.

The answer from me was that it is the hours worked, not the contracted hours in the OP's case. This was the equivalent of........

You are quite right you have to work those hours or have them averaged over a reasonable period of time.

You're right that it doesn't matter what the contracted hours are, it's what you actually do that matters. With so many 0 hour contracts now, it confuses things. What people have to watch out for is that they don't lose sight of the necessary hours and end up with overpayments. It's easy to lose track if your hours keep changing too!