Childcare element of TC and min working hours

allabout

Hi


Thanks in advance but I could really do with some advice. I am currently contracted to work 10hrs per week and am a full time student. My childcare costs are £150 and I am unable to claim any help via student finance for childcare therefore considering tax credits as I am currently using my student loan to pay for it.


Now, I am aware the minimum amount of hours to be worked to claim the childcare element of TC is 16 hours but although I am only contracted to 10hrs I have an on call work phone and laptop which requires me to be available to take calls from 6pm-12am three nights a week and I must be able to get to my place of work within 30minutes if required.


So, I am working 10hrs per week but an additional 18hrs where restrictions are in place and I am classed as being on call although some nights I do not receive any calls.


Am I therefore able to claim the childcare?


Thanks for looking and hopefully someone can shed some light on this x

Icequeen99

Normally if you are on standby or on call you can't count those hours. See this page on the old HMRC site (which didn't survive the move to GOV.UK)

http://web.archive.org/web/20140122075628/http://hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/claiming/income-hours/work-out-hours.htm

But if you are actually working and taking calls then that might be different.

You need to ask HMRC tax credits helpline, make sure you record the name, date and time of the call.

IQ