Any tax credits experts need help

blunthayley

Can anyone help I work the hours of 23 for 3 weeks n 1 week out of each month I work 27 I'm paid at an average of 24 hours weekly by my employer I have asked tax credits they said it is fine to average this at 24 otherwise I'd be ringing up all the time to tell them of my hours I rang them twice spoke to 2 different advisors who told me the exact same that it is ok to average now iv been told on this forum I shou be careful as they could still count my normal hours as 23 not 24 can anyone help I'm total lost and confused over this because I ask tax credits then get told ur not allowed to average by other people n they say u can does anybody have a similar situation or any guidance on this issue please

shegirl

Call tax credits. They are the only people who can give a definite answer.

I personally have no idea

blunthayley

I have done that they say I can I told them if I work 23 23 23 27 can I claim at 24 n they said yes as there system doesn't allow them to update for one week so it can be allowed to average over a four week period but other people are saying your not allowed to average

skateykatey

Unfortunately, the people on this forum are correct. The laws asks for hours normally worked and you do not normally work 24 hours a week.

I'm guessing you don't qualify for WTC on 16 hours.

That said, if the helpline are saying you do qualify, these calls are recorded so any resultant overpayment would not be recoverable.

blunthayley

My wage slips say 24 hours I'm contracted 24 hours but 3 weeks I work 23 1 week I work 27 the guidance notes say you can include regularly overtime and you can average over a recognised cycle which in my case is a month so how are people on this forum right I have rang them twice to double check n got the same answer each time off 2 different advisors

blunthayley

Some people work different hours each week. If there is a pattern to the work, for example a person works 14 hours one week and 18 the next, there is a two week cycle and the person can look at their average across that cycle. In this example the normal working hours would be 16.THIS IS A QUOTE FROM http://www.revenuebenefits.org.uk/tax-credits/guidance/how-do-tax-credits-work/entitlement/wtc-elements/#Variable

blunthayley

I think I will because I can't keep worrying like this anymore I'm been given lots of different information by different people

blunthayley

Well yes I know but after my first post I rang the tax credits helpline twice to double check and they told me I was doing the right thing I have come on here today and find a new reply on my thread telling me hope I got the advisors name because it's not right information so how can 2 advisors tell me the exact same information n be wrong

Kittycat1981

blunthayley wrote: »

Well yes I know but after my first post I rang the tax credits helpline twice to double check and they told me I was doing the right thing I have come on here today and find a new reply on my thread telling me hope I got the advisors name because it's not right information so how can 2 advisors tell me the exact same information n be wrong

You've had the information straight from the horses mouth twice - take what they have said and average it out to 24 hours. You are contracted to 24 hours a week and your pay slips say so. How you work those is irrelevant.

My hubby works 44 hours a shift, but his shifts are 4 on and 4 off, it averages out to 38 hours per week (sunday to saturday) - when we claimed tax credits years ago it was the same for us, - 38 hours was the number they used.

blunthayley

Thank you for your reply does he get paid same hours each week then

Icequeen99

I was the person who posted on your last thread and told you to record the name.

I have dealt with tax credit cases for the last 10 years and I can tell you that things are rarely as straightforward as the helpline say.

Accept what they have told you, but keep a note of the call (date, time and adviser name).

If compliance were to check they MIGHT query whether your hours are 'normally' 24 with that pattern.

There is no right and wrong answer here because the legislation doesn't give any more guidance other than it is the hours you normally work. So it is left to interpretation.

The recognised cycle of work rules only apply to people who have a recognisable cycle over a year - generally people who work in schools. It doesn't allow averaging as such, you just ignore the periods they are not working.

The claim form notes do have one example where they average over a 2 week cycle.

I would therefore suggest you accept what tax credits say, but make a note then it covers you for the future.

However, i think you are also saying that your employer is paying you 24 hours a week but you are in fact working 23, 23, 23, 27 so i doubt that tax credits would ever know anyway as looking at your payslips it is going to show 24 hours work. I don't understand why your employer is doing that instead of just paying you 23, 23, 23, and then 27?

IQ