Supply teaching and tax credits

Rokenswife

I'm phoning HMRC tomorrow to inform them that I signed up with a supply agency and did two days work last week. I wonder if anybody could help me? I'm presuming they'll ask me about usual hours etc.

Our situation before.
Husband worked 32 hrs a week self employed. Last years income 8k. I was a SAHM to our toddler. Got WTC and CTC.

Situation now.
We share childcare. If I get supply work (a big IF) then although I am working, my DH is not as he is at home with toddler. There is also a big 6 week holiday where there will be no work for me at all. So although I worked two days last week (12 hours technically), I now may not get any work until September.

I suppose we are not sure if me doing supply is going to be the best way forward for us as we really rely on the WTC and CTC at the moment and don't want it taken away on the presumption that I'll be working every week.

BigAunty

I can't answer your question but do suggest you view proposals for how the Universal Credit system plans to treat the self employed if it ever gets introduced. Tax credits will be scrapped and the UC whitepaper outlined the government's frustration with the long-term benefit dependency of the self employed and a desire that they become more self sufficient.

Under UC, they plan to introduce different conditionality to the SE to encourage them to achieve a Minimum Income Floor, supposedly the National Minimum Wage. Currently your husband earns much less than the NMW at around £4.80 an hour. It's worth you keeping your eye out for the UC implementation though many people think it will get shelved.

Rokenswife

Thanks. Being on tax credits is a short term safety net for us. I gave up work to bring up our son. As soon as he starts school in two years, I will be teaching full time again. A fortnight after I had him, my husband's business collapsed. He re-trained and the work is coming in slowly but surely.
Our son has difficulties (he is going to be tested very soon) and health problems which is why I am staying at home with him as long as possible.
It's so very frustrating for us. My husband has tried to better himself to get us out of this hole but it's not working out very well. Me being out at supply a couple of days last week at short notice has really upset our little one (due to his difficulties) so it really does need to be worth it for us.
We at least know that there is light at the end of the tunnel because we will both be back in full time work come this time in two years.

pmlindyloo

In order to claim working tax credits you need to be working 24 hours a week between you.

Is your partner able to do his self employment when you are not working?
Can he do 24 hours a week self employment in order to be able to claim working tax ?

Many schools do not use supply teachers these days, using TAs instead. Since we are coming up to the summer holidays you are unlikely to be getting any further work until October at the earliest.

You may be better off trying to get a part time job which fits in with your OH's self employment if you need to up your family income. Once school starts you can also think about doing some private tutoring. Have you family who could look after your little one for a few hours if your work clashed with your OH's?

From what you say this is only temporary so you need to think outside the box. If your OH's self employment is not going well, as hard as it may seem, he may need to look for full time work as an employee and then when you get a full time job he can explore the self employment route.

Good luck.

xylophone

Would it be feasible for you to return to teaching full time and for your husband to stay at home/fit in such work as might be possible evenings/weekends?