tax credit renewal-maternity

candy321

can someone please advice as all very new to me. I am very confused. I rang to renew my working tax credit. I have been on maternity leave from may 2012 till may 2013 and I am back to work 20/05/2013 with same employer. (been with this employer 11 years) and the tax credit advisor said as I was on maternity leave and have took the full 52 weeks they only pay tax credit until 39 weeks after that even though I am employed they class me as ceased employment so I will need to pay back my 13 weeks tax credit back!!! This was news to me as nowhere on the benefits website it states that. Please can someone advise if I can appeal this decision as I didn't know this.
please can someone also advice if I still have time to claim any benefit 13 weeks back from the date they stop my tax credit????
it doesn't make sense, why would they cease my employment at 39 weeks and then reinstate it??? please help

Thanks

Kayalana99

Its true. Your supposed to update them if you stay over 9months on maternity leave and you will have to pay that 13 weeks back...afaird you'd be fighting a losing battle saying that you just didn't know.

On plus side did you know that £100 of SMP weekly doesn't count as income? So if you have been of for the full year being paid SMP for 9months your supposed to deduct 3900 of your income for that year putting your tax credits up higher this year...

You can tell them you can't afford it, and they should just reduce the benifit your still entitled to...I know its not going to be easy but just a thought.

Not sure about what other benifits you should/would of been entitled to...hopefully someone who has been off for the full year will answar that for you as I only took the 9months.

Edit: No offense hun cause I cba to go looking through the site but it will say that somewhere as I have read it quite a few times when researching tax credits etc

candy321

Kayalana99 wrote: »

Its true. Your supposed to update them if you stay over 9months on maternity leave and you will have to pay that 13 weeks back...afaird you'd be fighting a losing battle saying that you just didn't know.

On plus side did you know that £100 of SMP weekly doesn't count as income? So if you have been of for the full year being paid SMP for 9months your supposed to deduct 3900 of your income for that year putting your tax credits up higher this year...

You can tell them you can't afford it, and they should just reduce the benifit your still entitled to...I know its not going to be easy but just a thought.

Not sure about what other benifits you should/would of been entitled to...hopefully someone who has been off for the full year will answar that for you as I only took the 9months.

Edit: No offense hun cause I cba to go looking through the site but it will say that somewhere as I have read it quite a few times when researching tax credits etc

thank you so much for your response. what does cba mean???.please state. many thanks.

shedboy94

candy321 wrote: »

can someone please advice as all very new to me. I am very confused. I rang to renew my working tax credit. I have been on maternity leave from may 2012 till may 2013 and I am back to work 20/05/2013 with same employer. (been with this employer 11 years) and the tax credit advisor said as I was on maternity leave and have took the full 52 weeks they only pay tax credit until 39 weeks after that even though I am employed they class me as ceased employment so I will need to pay back my 13 weeks tax credit back!!! This was news to me as nowhere on the benefits website it states that. Please can someone advise if I can appeal this decision as I didn't know this.
please can someone also advice if I still have time to claim any benefit 13 weeks back from the date they stop my tax credit????
it doesn't make sense, why would they cease my employment at 39 weeks and then reinstate it??? please help

Thanks

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/keep-up-to-date/changes-affect/family-change/maternity-adoption.htm#2

States it quite clearly here.

candy321

thank you for the quick response and the link. It is my fault for not understanding it even though it is so clear in the link you have posted. the advisor did deduct 3900 from my p60 so yes it will up my tax credit so payback 13 weeks won't be that much hopfully.
Thank you once again.

Kayalana99

cba - cant be arsed ...sorry lol just knew it was thier but didn't want to go finding the link.

If your tax credits are to low this year because they are making deductions to pay the 13 weeks back just remember you can ring back and say your struggling and they may spread it over a wider time frame meaning you'll get more money now (still less then your entitled) but it will take longer to pay back.

I would of thought since you had no income you'd be entitled to something...hopefully someone can come along and enlighten on those 3months you wern't recieving any benifit (as tax credit is to be taken back so wont be counted)

I would say run it through a benifit calucator but its a comlicated situation perhaps you'd be better phoning who needs to be asked and having a chat with a real person.