New partner & tax credits?

hulkgti

Sorry if this has been done before, but I can't find the answer anywhere on the forum!
I'm currently a single parent working part time (£6400pa for 16.5hpwk). I therefore get plenty of tax credits to help me out. My boyfriend is considering moving in with me and he works full time. We would just be entitled to the basic tax credits on both our wages (he earns £22K).

1. Tax credits are calculated on what was earned the previous year. Would I have to tell them how much my boyfriend earned last year, even though I had nothing to do with him then?

2. Would I still get the full 80% childcare element?

bestpud

I guess it wouldn't make a lot of difference if your new partner did give his earnings for last year, as it would simply be used to estimate how much he will earn this year, and thus decide how much you should receive iyswim? Unless he is earning substantially less this year?

I'm almost certain you will not get 80% of your childcare costs paid on that income. I don't know how much, if any, you would get though.

Have you tried putting estimates into http://www.entitledto.co.uk/ as that will give you a good idea of what you'd be able to claim?

Hth

Bestpud

hulkgti

yep, I've tried entitledto, but since it changed for this tax year it doesn't seem to work right for me (I'm doing something wrong obviously!).
When you get to the first results page you're supposed to enter income from existing tax credit award, before you carry on. If you leave this as zero, You get zero on the final page, but if I enter what I get now, as a single person, it says I will still get this amount even as a couple.
Am I being thick?!
Also because of this, my mate, who doesn't currently claim, can't find out how much they may be entitled to.

Scarlett1

try the tax credit site it might be better for you

http://www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/Qualify/WhatAreTaxCredits.aspx

kelloggs36

I think you will get NO help towards your childcare because your joint income is too high.

TheWaltons_3

Not true - we get 80% paid and are on 14 k more than they would be a year... BUT we do have three small children.

hulkgti

According to the tax credits website, we will get no help with childcare. I can't believe it, I honestly thought we'd get something. That means that I will have to give up work, as my pay will only just cover the childcare! I've only just gone back after maternity & my boy loves nursery. I thought tax credits were supposed to help people back to work!

DazzerG

hulkgti wrote: »

According to the tax credits website, we will get no help with childcare. I can't believe it, I honestly thought we'd get something. That means that I will have to give up work, as my pay will only just cover the childcare! I've only just gone back after maternity & my boy loves nursery. I thought tax credits were supposed to help people back to work!

Depends what your previous Tax year's income was.....I would assume that it was a lot lower than this year as you spent most of it on Maternity?

Also, why would you give up the chance to work (assuming that you wanted to, rather than thru necessity) just because the state wont pay you more than enough to cover CCC, surely over time you prospects and career options would increase along with your income?