Working Tax or Housing Benefit?

David333

I wondered if anybody could give me any advise. I have just moved to a new city with my partner. Neither of us have ever claimed any benefits so we don't know anything about this!

I was studying last year and working part-time so earned £6000 in total. I will be in the same situation this year, probably earning slightly less. My partner wasn't working last year due to studying and is looking for a job now but we have a limited amount of savings to keep us going for a couple of months.

Oh, and we're living in Scotland.

I have checked the HMRC tax credits calculated and it says that we might be entitled to £3600 for the year in working tax credit because of my earnings (I work over 30 hours a week). The benefits check calculator on Martin's site tells me the same.

I have also heard about housing benefit (we rent a flat from a private landlord) and council tax benefit. If we claimed working tax credit would that affect any potential housing benefit? If so, how do we work out which one is best to apply for?

Hope someone can help. As I said, we haven't claimed anything before but seeing as we're taking a while to find our feet in a new city, we thought it might be sensible to do so!

Thank you!

Dunroamin

How old are you and are you full time students?

David333

I'm 31; she's 28 and I will be a full time postgrad in September. She isn't a student anymore having just graduated...

HappyMJ

The working tax credit you get will affect Housing Benefit. If you get £50 a week in WTC's your HB will reduce by 65% of that i.e £32.50 a week. Also your CTB if any will reduce by 20% of that i.e £10.

Trust me getting working tax credits is hundreds of times easier than getting housing benefit. the paperwork is so much less. Council want absolutely EVERYTHING to do with your life in triplicate and verified by bank managers, accountants etc.... HMRC just want one simple figure every year.

David333

Mmm...thank you. Can either of them be backdated by a month (when we first moved in)?

I suppose it's sensible to apply for working tax credit straight away, hopefully getting that soon (how long does it take?) and then potentially looking at moving away from that onto housing benefit/council tax benefit in the future... Although maybe I should do the maths and see whether we would financially be better off on housing benefit/CTB... I don't know...

Our situation will change in September when I'll be a full-time student and my partner will (hopefully) be working. I guess we'll have to rethink everything then...