Working Tax - Not Getting My Hours At Work

mdkyoshi

We are a couple aged 25, my partner stays at home with our daughter, and i work in a shop. In the beginning of the year (april) i was getting the minimum 24 hours easily, and told this would continue, but in recent months, my hours have dropped dramatically, despite being told they would still even out, they aren't, and even when they rise again, they'll drop another week.

Its getting close to renewal time and i'm worried im going to be way below the threshhold, some weeks my weekly wage is below what i would get on JSA.

My partner had to go into hospital in the middle of the year also, and i took a few weeks unpaid leave.

My worry is that because i haven't earned as much as they demand, they're going to ask for everything back (seems silly that they would want MORE money from someone not getting ENOUGH money)

Any help/advice appreciated.

midnight_express

you need to declare it now, before you get done for fraud. you are not entitled to working tax credit. you will already have a massive over payment and yes they will be taking it back.

mdkyoshi

As i stated, i am still getting the 24 hours, albeit not consistently. Everybodies hours have been cut at work due to a new company coming in and cutting budgets everywhere...

So basically, aswell as losing out on hours, i am expected to give up the only consistent money i have to support my family with?

Can anyone provide a helpful post please, the expected income on the original form was £7'000 (april-april), and i thought this would be very possible, however the last few weeks work have been cutting hours drastically and i'm only at around £4'500...

UsetheFORCE

mdkyoshi wrote: »

As i stated, i am still getting the 24 hours, albeit not consistently. Everybodies hours have been cut at work due to a new company coming in and cutting budgets everywhere...

So basically, aswell as losing out on hours, i am expected to give up the only consistent money i have to support my family with?

Can anyone provide a helpful post please, the expected income on the original form was £7'000 (april-april), and i thought this would be very possible, however the last few weeks work have been cutting hours drastically and i'm only at around £4'500...

So what are your CURRENT AVERAGE hours, say over the last 6 weeks?

mdkyoshi

Last 6 weeks i have worked;

26
21
9
15
21
8

pmlindyloo

Here is a link that might help:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/claiming/income-hours/work-out-hours.htm

It does say that when your hours vary you should put down what hours your employer expects you to work.

So, what does your contract say?

It is not about the amount of money you earn but the need to do so many hours each week to be eligible for working tax credits.

Because of the possibility of an overpayment I should give tax credit a call and explain the situation.

Is it possible for you to take on a second part time job to up your hours? or your OH to get a part time job?

Together you need to be doing a minimum of 24 hours with at least one of you doing 16 hours to claim working tax credits.

mdkyoshi

The contract isn't worth the paper it was printed on.

We got them in January, and they mentioned Christmas bonuses etc, but we were laughed at when we even suggested those, despite the company having record earnings...

(its subway i work for)

WTC helps more than the wage from the job itself...

Yeah i've tried finding other jobs, had a second job last Xmas but the company folded along with any hopes of changing to that job permanently...

Don't get me wrong, i hate the job, the staff are treated like absolute trash, but whatever puts food on the table eh?

I'm between a rock and a hard place, i'd love to quit my job (due to hours being awful) and focus on finding a better one, but doing so would mean my family goes hungry in the mean-time

midnight_express

mdkyoshi wrote: »

Last 6 weeks i have worked;

26
21
9
15
21
8

based on this you are not entitled to w t credits. you need to notify a change of circumstances.

pmlindyloo

Is there any reason you can't focus on finding another job while you are still working at Subways?

A contract is a contract and as such is a legally binding document.

You need to take it to CAB and ask them to help you raise a grievance if your employers are not adhering to it.

mdkyoshi

midnight_express wrote: »

based on this you are not entitled to w t credits. you need to notify a change of circumstances.

Your really not helping here.

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Is there any reason you can't focus on finding another job while you are still working at Subways?

A contract is a contract and as such is a legally binding document.

You need to take it to CAB and ask them to help you raise a grievance if your employers are not adhering to it.

Thanks, yeah i've tried finding other jobs, but not got further than interviews at the moment. As for the contract, i'm fairly certain they don't care. They over-hire for the positions, then spread the hours paper thin...

weeble3

I think the only thing to do is be truthful with wft office and see what they make of it. But agree with previous posters you have not worked enough hours over the past four weeks. So you do need to sort this asap either do cleaning or get a second job just something to boost your hours up