Does my Working Tax Credit finish when I am no longer entitled to Child Tax Credit?

Lindiddly

Hi all,
I am a single parent working part-time (it varies weekly from about 15 - 20 hours/wk) currently in receipt of Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credits. My son has turned 18 and so I will no longer get the CTC from the end of August 2020 as he is not continuing in 'approved education or training'. My Annual Tax Credits Review only shows payments for Working Tax Credit up until the same date for the current year 2020-21. Surely I don't lose WTC as well? I can't afford to. I phoned HMRC Tax Credits 'Helpline' today to ask what will happen to my WTC after August and the response was that the adviser didn't know whether WTC continues (or is recalculated in some way) and advised that I should wait and see whether I get a payment after that date!!!!! Can anybody tell me if payments will continue or what I can do ahead of time if they will be stopping? Thanks a lot in advance if anyone can help. Others must go through this all the time. Lindiddly.

Nannytone

And yes you have have another child who qualifies for Child Tax Credit or you have a qualifying disability then your working tax credits will stop.
As a single person with no dependent children you would be required to work at least 30 hours a week in order to qualify for Working Tax Credit.

UK instead make a claim for universal credit but they will probably require you to be actively looking for additional work

poppy12345

You won't qualify for WTC with those hours, unless you have a disability. https://www.gov.uk/working-tax-credit

Use a benefits calculator to check entitement to Universal Credit. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro/Home?cid=646ed66e-4d2c-4766-a8b6-f059152411d7

Lindiddly

Hi Nannytone and poppy12345, Many thanks for your responses. I actually spoke to an HMRC chat-line adviser yesterday afternoon who agreed with what you told me. I still have no idea why the telephone adviser in the morning didn't know this basic qualification information for WTC.....Or why it wasn't explained to me in my TC Renewal for 2020/2021 what would happen to my WTC entitlement when my son turned 18.
Hope this helps somebody else. SO...Got to leave my brilliant employer who has bent over backwards to keep us in work through COVID and go hunting for something with more hours now. There must be loads of jobs about.....Hmmm. Lindiddly

sammyjammy

Why would you leave your employment?  Make a claim for UC based on the work you currently do and look for more hours elsewhere, you might find something that fits in with your current hours.

poppy12345

It wouldn't be explained on the renewal. Did you use the benefits calculator i posted in my previous comment? Leaving employment during thedse very difficult times is not advisable. At least you have a job, regardless of the hours. Besides, if you left your employment for this reason then there will be a sanction for claiming benefits for 26 weeks.