Tax Credits/Change of Circumstance

pinkypoopydoo

How long (on average) do tax credits take to sort out a change of circumstance? It's years since I last had any change to report, but I have been sign off as self employed, and will be relying heavily for the first 6 weeks on covering my bills with my tax credits, even if it doesn;t include WTC element.

They don't cancel the current claim for a change of circumstance, do they? I will continue receiving my usual payment while it's being processed?

Aydas_mamma

It took them 8 weeks to do mine and I only got 4 weeks money even though I had no payment for around 9 weeks. I'll get another payment in 3 weeks so ill be being paid completely in arrears from what I can work out. It was a straightforward claim from single to joint so god knows why it took so long it's ridiculous.

pinkypoopydoo

Really? Damn. I may have to break the credit card out of the freezer for food this month then!

zagfles

It won't be the same - changing from single to joint or vv is a new claim and they'll stop the old one - this can leave you out of pocket for a while. But a change in employment status isn't a new claim, they'll just adjust the elements you get. CTC will likely stay the same unless there was a change in income.

pinkypoopydoo

I think, based on my projected cash flows for the next year, that my CTC will stay the same, but I will be entitled to some WTC as well, as I'm working well over the 16 hours required for a single parent in work. I'm prepared for the worst for the next month or so, so if the worst doesn't happen, then it's all good!