WTC and change of hours...

David333

In order to receive WTC I need to work 30 hours a week. Previously I've been working between 30 and 40 hours a week so that hasn't been a problem. However, for the foreseeable future my hours are going to be lower so I know that at some point soon I'm going to have to let the WTC people my change of hours.

Complicating matters is the fact that I work in a restaurant where the hours are fairly changeable and also the fact that I get paid monthly.

So, this month, in week one I worked 37.5 hours and in week two, 27 hours. For the next couple of weeks my hours are likely to be somewhere between 25 and 30 hours. Is the 30 hours a week worked out on the basis of an average for when you get paid or weekly?

So...do I phone the tax credits helpline (and wait on hold for hours!) and tell them that in week two I worked less than 30 hours and then expect them to pay me for a further four weeks before cutting WTC completely?

Or do I wait until the end of the month and tell them that my hours were on average less than 30 a week, if it turns out that way (it's going to be close!)? Then will they pay me for a further four weeks after that month end?


Thanks!

enabledebra

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/tctmanual/TCTM02450.htm

This how they calculate whether you work enough hours and how they look at variable hours.