Working tax credit confusion

Yaz_89

Hi all,
I have some questions regarding my working tax credit application which I send off 3 weeks ago.
I am single, with no children and over-25
Disability element of working tax credit
I am profound deaf in the right ear and severe deaf in the left. I can only communicate via lip-reading, can only understand speech by close range, cannot follow group conversations, cannot use the telephone for conversations and have other various disadvantages which deaf people have. To qualify for the disability element of WTC, the guidelines state you must have a disability which puts you in disadvantaged for employment? Well, I have an BA honours degree and 2 years voluntary experience in the field which I want to make a career from. I graduated from university in 2013 and have had 50 odd interviews where I have been unsuccessful. I work in retail (supermarket). I have been at this place since I was 18, I am nearly 27 now.
The guidelines state you must have been claiming successfully some sort of benefit relating to your disability at least for 6 months to qualify for the disability element of WTC. As I have not claimed or tried to claim benefits regarding my deafness, would I still qualify? I have been deaf since the age of 5 and my medical records would be able to prove this.
And to qualify for the disability element you have to be working 16 hours a week and be over 25.
Overtime hours from work place
From October 2014 to May 2015 I was contracted 31 hours a week. I was doing at least 39 hours with overtime. My contract in May 2015 was reduced from 31 to 16 hours. Even though my hours have been reduced to 16, to this date I still work a lot of overtime.
The guidelines state you receive extra WTC if you work more than 30 hours (30 hours element). This bit worries me. Obviously now I am contracted 16 hours a week. But my average hours will differ. On the form, I wrote I do 30 hours a week. This is what I did the last 2 months:
May
Week 1: 32,
Week 2: 32
Week 3: 24
Week 3: 16
June:
Week 1: 32
Week 2: 24
Week 3: 24
Week 4: 16
I do 30 hours plus every other week. Would I have to notify HMRC every month if my hours change? If I drop 30 hours or do not work 30 hours in a week do I have to tell?
Annual salary
April 2014-April 2015 my P60 shows I made £11,313. I do not know how much I will make for 2015-2016 as my hours have been cut and the overtime is not guaranteed even thought at the moment it is. I understand if you make more than £2500 from the last financial year, you must tell them. What I am worried about is paying back the over-payments.
It is really difficult for me to use the telephone as I usually ask a friend or relative to ring on my behalf. At the stage, I thought its best to post here rather than call HMRC. Any help would be greatly help.

Yaz_89

Many thanks for the reply. Well would it be possible to wor 16 hours if I do quality for the disability element and carry on doing the over time given? Wouldn't I have to tell them about the overtime? Like I said each week my overs are different. Some week I might 32, 24 or 16. Definitely need someone to ring them.

Icequeen99

Did you tick yes to the disability element on the form?
Did you tell them on the form you work 30 hours or more?

You need to be very careful as they may award tax credits based on what you have told them and you will be overpaid.

From what you say, you don't qualify for the disability element because you don't receive (and never have) a disability benefit which is a requirement.

Also, as BB says, your 'normal' working hours are not 30 or over.

If you were doing 32, 30, 34, 25 and then 30, 25, 33, 32 I would say your normal hours are 30 or over but not in your case.

IQ

Yaz_89

Seems like deafness is not seen and given much importance to other disabilities. Nothing new there really. I am used to discrimination.

Yaz_89

Icequeen99 wrote: »

Did you tick yes to the disability element on the form?
Did you tell them on the form you work 30 hours or more?

You need to be very careful as they may award tax credits based on what you have told them and you will be overpaid.

From what you say, you don't qualify for the disability element because you don't receive (and never have) a disability benefit which is a requirement.

Also, as BB says, your 'normal' working hours are not 30 or over.

If you were doing 32, 30, 34, 25 and then 30, 25, 33, 32 I would say your normal hours are 30 or over but not in your case.

IQ

Yes I did tick the disability box and I did tell them I work 30 hours or more. Well if it will cause such hassle for me, I will not claim. Thank god my brother is on leave from work. He lives London and came home today. He will ring on my behalf

Yaz_89

blondebubbles wrote: »

There is a section under condition 2 specifically for hearing impairments.

However the reason you do not qualify is that you do not claim a qualifying benefit. Did you look at the link I posted about PIP?

Yes I have. Thank you BB for your help. My brother is on the phone with WTC right now. This will be cleared in a few minutes

fed_up_and_stressed

Yaz_89 wrote: »

Seems like deafness is not seen and given much importance to other disabilities. Nothing new there really. I am used to discrimination.

It has nothing to do with discrimination. You do not claim a qualifying benefit and don't work an average of over 30 hrs as per your own post, so don't meet the criteria end of story.


It wouldn't matter the reason for the disability was if you had no legs / mental disabilities or hearing impairment the criteria you need to meet is the same -and you don't.

Yaz_89

Here is the information they had given me.

I need to apply for PIP (have ordered the form). Once I have been approved for PIP, I can qualify for the disability element of WTC.

You need to work 16 hours or more to qualify for the disability element

Regarding if I work or do not work 30 hours or more, here is their response:

➔ Do unstable overtime hours count towards my hourly requirements of WTC?

As long as you working 16 hours a week on AVERAGE, he’ll be fine. He would need to estimate his income by 30 hours a week (or on an estimated average) and note any changes that go considerably higher than usual (not like 2 more or less hours a week). Better to over-estimate income and recrive a one off payment rather than underestimate and have to pay money back.
➔ Would I need to notify HMRC with every hourly change or does HMRC know my hours through PAYE system and adjust accordingly?
Extra Support Department for extra enquires, HMRC can visit as well. Emails not secure which is why they work on a postal basis. If he goes over 30, no need to inform, but if he receives disability award, then he will only need to inform when he goes below 16 only.
He needs to calculate hours on a four weekly basis and if he goes below this against his hours, he will need to inform. He doesn’t need to inform HMRC IF HE GOES BELOW 16 HOURS IN A SINGLE WEEK AND NOT OTHER WEEKS.

Yaz_89

fed_up_and_stressed wrote: »

It has nothing to do with discrimination. You do not claim a qualifying benefit and don't work an average of over 30 hrs as per your own post, so don't meet the criteria end of story.


It wouldn't matter the reason for the disability was if you had no legs / mental disabilities or hearing impairment the criteria you need to meet is the same -and you don't.

There is no reason for you to speak to me like this. I was just pointing out the general discrimination I have suffered all my life being a deaf person. I came to this forum for advice as I have not claimed benefits before. For your information, the hours I gave were for May and June. Before that I was working full 39 hours. As I have said my contract has been changed.

No need for the tone you used

bloolagoon

Yaz_89 wrote: »

There is no reason for you to speak to me like this. I was just pointing out the general discrimination I have suffered all my life being a deaf person. I came to this forum for advice as I have not claimed benefits before. For your information, the hours I gave were for May and June. Before that I was working full 39 hours. As I have said my contract has been changed.

No need for the tone you used

Can you not look at PIP. I'm very unfamiliar on deafness as a disability but that's your barrier and I'm sure sensory loss should be covered in their criteria.