tax credits cut so low-advice please

mumof4littleguys

Hi, im new to mse but know people that have been given good advice from others on here so thought I'd give it a shot.
Basically, my partner is in f/t employment and pays for the majority of our bills/debt/food. We are also receiving child tax credits as my partner is not on a great wage.
Out of the ctc I pay our rent and the childrens school meals and that would leave me with £10 per week to live on.
So last year I decided to get a part time job.
I get £94 per week.
Anyway to get a long story short, our ctc have just been reduced by £80. So that means I am back to square one and after paying rent and school dinners I am left with £14 which is only £4 more than what I was left with before working.
I know we all have to work but I feel it is pointless as i am no better and if I leave my employment I guess my ctc will go back ul. Either way I am broke!
What would you do? Please advise.
Thankyou to anyone that can help.

shegirl

To get the nit picking out of the way before someone else does, you are better off,albeit only £4 a week, which is the point of working.

Can you increase your hours or look for another job?

Packed lunches for the children?

You say your CTC has been cut by £80, considering your name suggests you have 4 kids you must have a fair income if you are losing so much CTC per week?

Can you reduce your debt payments? Do you meal plan etc to save money?

While you're currently only £4 a week better off by working,remember that it's all good and that won't always be the case

merlin68

Can you get more hrs. When uc comes in you will be expected to do 35,
Better to get more now if you can.

mumof4littleguys

My partner works 40 hours and I do 12 which is 3 evenings. I wouldu have to find another job if I wanted to do more hours as this is all my employer can offer me. Im also guessing if I earned more I wouldn't actually have it in my pocket as my ctc would be cut back even further.
Im not sure what wage my partner gets but he says after paying everything off, he has barely enough to live on.
I know im £4 better off but I work really really hard and am exhausted and I honestly don't know anyone that would work for £4 a week.
I dont pay childcare as I work evenings when my parner is home from work.
I love working. Im honestly not a lazy person and cant wait for the day when my children are much older and I can work full time and not have to to rely on any benefits.
I work really hard at my job and suffer with sciatica but have been going to work in pain as I don't get sick pay.
I knew the ctc would go down but I guess I didn't expect to to be working for hardly anything.

mumof4littleguys

What is uc?

NYM

mumof4littleguys wrote: »

What is uc?

Universal Credit I believe

pmlindyloo

mumof4littleguys wrote: »

Hi, im new to mse but know people that have been given good advice from others on here so thought I'd give it a shot.
Basically, my partner is in f/t employment and pays for the majority of our bills/debt/food. We are also receiving child tax credits as my partner is not on a great wage.
Out of the ctc I pay our rent and the childrens school meals and that would leave me with £10 per week to live on.
So last year I decided to get a part time job.
I get £94 per week.
Anyway to get a long story short, our ctc have just been reduced by £80. So that means I am back to square one and after paying rent and school dinners I am left with £14 which is only £4 more than what I was left with before working.
I know we all have to work but I feel it is pointless as i am no better and if I leave my employment I guess my ctc will go back ul. Either way I am broke!
What would you do? Please advise.
Thankyou to anyone that can help.

There are basically two ways of being better off - increase your income or decrease your expenditure.

Sounds simple but that's the hard cold truth.

Instead of focussing on benefits focus on the increasing and decreasing.

So, up your hours/get a second job/ partner look for another job/get a second job.

Have a long read on this website and find ways to reduce all your expenditure - look at your utility bills/food bills etc etc.

If you post on the Debtfree wannabe board with your current budget they will give you lots of ideas.

I am not unsympathetic - been there and got the T shirt - it can be done but it takes determined effort. Good luck!

shegirl

mumof4littleguys wrote: »

My partner works 40 hours and I do 12 which is 3 evenings. I wouldu have to find another job if I wanted to do more hours as this is all my employer can offer me. Im also guessing if I earned more I wouldn't actually have it in my pocket as my ctc would be cut back even further.
Im not sure what wage my partner gets but he says after paying everything off, he has barely enough to live on.
I know im £4 better off but I work really really hard and am exhausted and I honestly don't know anyone that would work for £4 a week.
I dont pay childcare as I work evenings when my parner is home from work.
I love working. Im honestly not a lazy person and cant wait for the day when my children are much older and I can work full time and not have to to rely on any benefits.
I work really hard at my job and suffer with sciatica but have been going to work in pain as I don't get sick pay.
I knew the ctc would go down but I guess I didn't expect to to be working for hardly anything.

Slightly concerned that you don't know how much your partner earns.

Who handles the tax credits renewals etc? The income coming into the house will be on your tax credits awards notices etc. If I was you I'd be taking a look as I wouldn't be surprised if there is more coming in than you think or the debts he's paying off are higher.

Somebody else here will be able to explain the thresholds for set number of kids etc

Icequeen99

mumof4littleguys wrote: »

Hi, im new to mse but know people that have been given good advice from others on here so thought I'd give it a shot.
Basically, my partner is in f/t employment and pays for the majority of our bills/debt/food. We are also receiving child tax credits as my partner is not on a great wage.
Out of the ctc I pay our rent and the childrens school meals and that would leave me with £10 per week to live on.
So last year I decided to get a part time job.
I get £94 per week.
Anyway to get a long story short, our ctc have just been reduced by £80. So that means I am back to square one and after paying rent and school dinners I am left with £14 which is only £4 more than what I was left with before working.
I know we all have to work but I feel it is pointless as i am no better and if I leave my employment I guess my ctc will go back ul. Either way I am broke!
What would you do? Please advise.
Thankyou to anyone that can help.

Something doesn't sound right here.

As BB says, in order to help we need to know your combined income reported to tax credits for 13/14 and 14/15 plus your estimated income for 15/16.

I would expect to see a reduction of £40 a week maximum for earnings of £96.

When did you start the job?

IQ

mumof4littleguys

Do ypu know what, im concerned I dont know what my husband earns too. Im concerned I dont know what hes left with at the end of the month. I feel im being punished and maybe he is better off than he makes out. He wont tell me though. He handles all tax credit renewals etc.
Something doesnt add up but ill never know. I'll just have to carry on as I am, having nothing. It will be different when my children are grown up.
Thankyou so much everyone for all your help

NYM

mumof4littleguys wrote: »

Do ypu know what, im concerned I dont know what my husband earns too. Im concerned I dont know what hes left with at the end of the month. I feel im being punished and maybe he is better off than he makes out. He wont tell me though. He handles all tax credit renewals etc.
Something doesnt add up but ill never know. I'll just have to carry on as I am, having nothing. It will be different when my children are grown up.
Thankyou so much everyone for all your help

Would an award notice detail the household income ?