Stressing about WTC and CTC

cashew1992

I live with my OH who is in full time work while i stay at home and look after our 2yr old for now. we privately rent a 2 bed house pay full CT etc

This week we found out that our CTC were being reduced by £180pm this is because OH annual income for 2015/16 was higher than we expected due to a 2 bonus' (£22,537) and we have no idea where we stand with WTC because they wouldn't discuss it with me as its paid to my OH, the person on the phone did say we might not be entitled to it now. He will call i'm sure but is a night shift worker so he's usually sleeping there open hours unless he's off work...

I'm so unbelievably stressed out, we literally are having to borrow money to get though until pay day (12th may) which is humiliating at best, loosing £180pm was bad enough but the thought of loosing another £300pm from WTC is utterly terrifying

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OH is switching from Night shifts to day shifts in 2 weeks time, we know what his income should be on the lower rate though i don't know if it will make a difference (£21,118.24) can anyone tell me what the income eligibility bands are for CTC and WTC working with one child 2016?

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Thanks for reading
One very scared mum

Caz3121

cutoff for WTC for a couple is around £18k so will not be applicable
CTC is around £26k with one child
as the income decrease is under £2.5k they will use the 15/16 income for the 16/17 award so your payment should be around £125 per month
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tax-credits-entitlement-table-working-at-least-16-hours-and-no-childcare/tax-credits-entitlement-table-working-at-least-16-hours-and-no-childcare
your current award seems very high for your circumstances, was the 14/15 income much lower?

cashew1992

Oh crap, i see our lives about to become very difficult

Struggling to see how we'll be able to afford our rent and other bills :'(

Thanks for the fast reply

Darksparkle

Is your claim definetly joint? If so they can discuss the WTC with you. Not sure why they would say they can't.

But as caz has said, on that level of income there is no entitlement to WTC

pliusas

Yes, D-F Wannabe board, or she can work from home.
My partner earns around 22k and I am stay at home mum with 22 months old child. Well, I was. No I am self employed mystery shopper/auditor, 95% my jobs I can do with baby around me. Mystery shopper, paying apps like roamler, streetbees etc), surveys (pinecone, prolific, opinionworld and so on) and similar jobs from home gives me around between £100 (if I am very lazy) and £800 extra income. Full information here on boost your income board, themoneyshed forum or in blogs like from aldi to harrods etc. Just use Google and you will find lots of possibilities to earn more than £180 from home.

NLW

Is there any reason why you can't work?

cashew1992

Thank you for all your replies

The only thing that's been stopping me working is wanting to stay and look after our son, i didn't have him to put him in full day care at 23 months old It's not that i'm lazy i just want to care for him. Not to say i won't work of course, I've started looking for FT work because it doesn't look like there is an option any more.

Until now we've been getting by just fine apart from the odd difficult month.

I've contacted 3 local nurseries this afternoon and all have said they aren't taking any new children until the September term begins, so i'm concerned about childcare sadly.

pliusas - Could you point me to anywhere particularly useful I'm going to have a look into working from home

I appreciate all your replies
thanks

NLW

Before the days of free child care, breakfast clubs and after school clubs me and my wife worked around each other, I did nights she did days, I would get home at 6:30am she would get ready for school do the school run I would pick up and make dinner. That is the way people manage when you have kids. This was before the days of top up benefits but we managed.

Everybody would LOVE to stay at home and look after their child even the dads but you can't afford it. Not being nasty just a realist, the benefits gravy train is running dry and the sooner people prepare the better.

cashew1992

Yes i get it thank i know i can't afford it don't rub it in please