Tax credit thresholds

PippaGirl_2

I'm trying to help a friend who has severe mental health issues. She again can't afford her prescriptions so will be without medication for a while which will send her sideways so I have been trying to find out what the eligibility is for HC1 help with prescription costs. I know working people can get full help but any idea how much someone can earn and still get help with prescriptions? Her dh works but in a low paid job. Is this linked to tax credits?

She says they aren't entitled to CTC and WTC but if her dh is earning as little as she implies I can't believe that. What is the threshold for eligibility for tax credits? They have one dependent child. She doesn't work.

Thanks very much for your help.

Poppie68

Why doesnt' your friend get the Pre-payment prescription card, it works out about £10.40 a month....Without this i would be paying nearly over £70 a month.

PippaGirl_2

Tell me about it! Her dh holds the purse strings as he earns the money so he says. Makes me really cross.

I've played around with putting various figures into entitled to and even if he were earning £22000 they would get a small amount of CTC so I don't understand why they don't get anything. I don't know what he earns, just that she tells me it is not a lot.

She does get LRC though which goes into her account I think, she needs to buy herself a pre-payment certificate with that.

Poppie68

Doesnt' he sound a gem!
Maybe he earns more than she wants to let on..If she has her LRC going into her bank, she can apply on line today and should recieve her card next week.

PippaGirl_2

Their internet has been cut off due to non payment, her DLA is being commissioned by her dh to pay that bill when it lands in her account. I could crown him at times. Hopefully there will be enough to buy a certificate once that is paid, I will find the link and send it to her.

I am thinking he must earn more than I thought.

merlin68

Ctc doesn't entitle you to perscriptions it is working tax credit at a certain income level of which i believe is £15000 i found it for a friend last week but cant find it now.

PippaGirl_2

oh thanks Merlin, that's helpful. Though in the past I was given a card with my tax credits award which I showed to get free prescriptions and all I received was CTC (I was a full time student) and the card said tax credits on it?

merlin68

Found it.
If you meet the following criteria:
You are receiving child tax credit only OR are receiving working tax credit and child tax credit OR are receiving working tax credit with a disability element included;
Your household income is below £15050 gross;
You are not claiming Income Support, Job Seekers (Income Based) or Pension Credit.

PippaGirl_2

ah that'll be why I qualified then, wasn't claiming those benefits and I had a child with disabilities.