Trying to claim working tax credits as a couple and it's proving difficult!

Manda_Panda

Hi guys,

I'm new to the forum and looking for some much needed advice please! My husband is 29 and is currently a full time student, working 6 hours a week, although he is due to finish college on the 22nd of this month. I am 23 and work 35 hours a week. When my husband first started college I phoned the WTA helpline to ask for a claim pack and the adviser told me that we would not be entitled to anything as I am under 25 years old, even though I work more than 30 hours and my husband is older.

I'm confused though. With every site I visit the information tells me that to claim as a couple we must have combined working hours of 30 or more a week and be aged 25 or over. When I use working tax credit calculators online and describe our current situation they tell me that we are not entitled to anything but if I swap our situations (ie say my husband is working 35 hours a week and I am working 6) then we are entitled to £120 a month??

Surely if we are claiming as a couple then we are entitled to this regardless of who is working certain hours?

Any advice would be much appreciated guys

Thanks,

Manda

emsywoo123

Hi Manda

A quick google search found this:

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

Which basically says for couples WTC one of you must be:

Age 25 or over and working 30+ hrs a week

So he needs to do more hours or you need to get older