What benefits can I get when working part time?

ElleWoods

I'm a single mum and currently work full time earning £18k. My 9 month old DS goes to nursery 3 days a week (my parents have him the other 2 days). My nursery fees cost £484.50pm. I get the childcare element of Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, which is a total of £437.11. Apart from that and Child Benefit I'm not entitled to any other benefits like IS or HB because I have a mortgage. I don't get any maintenance from my ex.

I'm really struggling to make ends meet and have put a post on the DFW board last night to which I've had some really helpful replies. I've been wondering if I'd be better off working part time, say three days a week, and only putting DS in nursery 1 day. If I did this, would I be entitled to any other benefits?

How would I find about what benefits I'd be entitled to if I worked pt and how much, because obviously I don't want to go pt only to find out I'm worse off!

Any advice would be appreciated.

CC
x

Kimberley

Look at https://www.entitledto.co.uk for a calculation.

milkydrink

I'm no expert, but are you not entitled to help with some of that child care bill???

milkydrink

I'm no expert, but are you not entitled to help with some of that child care bill???
Kim

mummymania

Hiya
I am a single mum with 3 girls and work p/t - 18 hrs a week. My gross salary is £8k p/a and I have one in nursery for 3 days p/w. I get childcare tax credit (80% of nursery bill) paid for, working tax credit (as I earn less than £15k) and child tax credit. When adding it all up, I get the equivalent of £16k pa.

Have a look at entitledto or the tax credit website and play around with the figures. Or go to your jobcentre and get them to help.

Una xx

ElleWoods

I really appreciate them. Think I'll have to work out what I would earn working pt then ring the tax credits people to see what I would be entitled to. I'm just wondering if I'd be a bit better off if you

Kimberley - I've had a look on Entitledto.com and really need my P60 to get it accurate. I'm getting this at the end of the month so will go on again then.

Kimevans - I get help with the childcare - I counted this in my WTC/CTC calculation above.

Mummymania - Can you not get IS if you earn less than 15k? Just wondering what the upper limit is for being able to claim IS.

milkydrink

Are you saying that you pay £484.50pm for childcare & get tax credits of £437.11
If so, then your tax credits doesn't even cover your childcare bill

zoezoe_3

kimevans wrote: »

Are you saying that you pay £484.50pm for childcare & get tax credits of £437.11
If so, then your tax credits doesn't even cover your childcare bill

Why should it cover the childcare ??? Its means tested and even the childcare element does not cover the full 100% !!

mummymania

You only get 80% of the childcare paid (via childcare tax credit), not all of it.

You cannot get IS if you work more than 16 hours. I work 18 hrs. After 16 hours you get ctc and wtc.

hth
Una

crispeater

i also work part time and have 2 cherubs, both in nursery 3 days a week. i also claim housing and council tax benefit as well as the normal ctc/wtc

Bettyboop

I went to the Inland Revenue office last year to have some calculations done for two scenarious. One was working 16 hours per week and the other 24 hours. For the 24 hours per week I would have had an extra £200 per year which didn't make sense to me. My hours have remained the same and I get almost all of my little girl's nursery fees paid. I think you are definitely best off phoning the Inland Revenue and asking for an estimation.

All the best.