Starting work as bank staff, worried it will really mess up tax credits/LHA

ragz_2

Background - hubby works self employed, current;y profit is under £10k a year. We rent a 3 bed house (3 children), LHA pays most of the rent and we get a lot of tax credits. Situation has remained stable the last few years, never had an overpayment to deal with.

I have decided that after 8 years as a SAHM I should go to work, more for career prospects (and because I can, I probably should!) than money as we will certainly not be any better off, financially, I doubt.

Job is care assistant, but as bank staff because I couldn't commit to a minimun 18 hour contract due to childcare issues.

Have said I will do 12 hours a week, but not school holidays. So I am wondering just how complicated this is going to get, regarding tax credits and LHA as I will not technically have set hours, will do no hours/reduced hours in the holidays and if children are ill.

I won't have a contract to show how many hours I will be doing, so what do I tell housing benefit? If I overestimate, I won't get any benefit I would have been entitled to paid back, but if I underestimate, I will be expected to pay back any overpayment.

Regarding tax credits it is simpler as they look at it at the end of the year and will pay you any they underpaid.

If anyone can offer advice I would appreciate it as I am panicking that I will be putting the family through hassle that we won't be benefiting from financially and may even end up worse off...

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow

The most straightforward thing would be to work out your wages, ie 12 hours a week x your wage.
then x this by 39 weeks, which is the number of weeks a year you will be working because you don't work school holidays.
then divide by 12 for a monthly amount or 52 for a weekly amount - then give this figure to the HB people

pmlindyloo

NotSuchASmugMarriedNow wrote: »

The most straightforward thing would be to work out your wages, ie 12 hours a week x your wage.
then x this by 39 weeks, which is the number of weeks a year you will be working because you don't work school holidays.
then divide by 12 for a monthly amount or 52 for a weekly amount - then give this figure to the HB people

Although this may work for tax credits I do not think it will work for HB. They usually expect to see payslips. I have known of people who have to take their payslips in every week.

OP, telephone your local council and ask them what to do about this change of circumstances. Ditto with tax credits.

As you have said what you do not want is an overpayment.

ragz_2

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Although this may work for tax credits I do not think it will work for HB. They usually expect to see payslips. I have known of people who have to take their payslips in every week.

OP, telephone your local council and ask them what to do about this change of circumstances. Ditto with tax credits.

As you have said what you do not want is an overpayment.

Yeah, I was thinking that, Also some weeks I may do an extra shift etc. I suppose I will just have to keep them up to speed on it. What happens if I don't get a payslip for the first month? They like to know stuff in advance, don't they?

I guess I will bite the bullet and call them, just waiting for a go ahead on the job.