Advice on tax credits and benefits for possible soon to be single mum...

Twin-mum-81

Hi there,

First post on here as got link from the CAB website for more possible info on here.

I've got two children, work part time and earn approx £15,000 a year.

Things arent good at all at home and am trying to work out how much I would get etc if I was to go it alone with my children as dont want them exposed to such a negative environment as they grow older.

I went onto entitledto.com and put in all my details and that I would want to rent and followed the approx calculations for rental prices, council tax and nursery fees for children etc.

Now the website has come back with a figure which I think is very generous on top of my wages I would be bringing home and was wondering if anyone could give me any advice as to how accurate this info is.... as I would actually be better on on my own than with my husband - surely this cant be right?

Anyway help is much appreciated....

Tax Credits-Initial Tax Credit £16,536.42 £316.27
Tax Credits£16,536.42 £316.27 Means-tested bill reductions
Council Tax Benefit £854.00 £16.33 No amount due, maximum award. Based on an income of £316.27 from tax credits.
Housing Benefit£7,625.00 £145.83 No amount due, maximum award. Based on an income of £316.27 from tax credits.
Total Entitlements
£25,015.42 £478.43 weekly

Borgie

Twin-mum-81 wrote: »

Hi there,

Tax Credits-Initial Tax Credit £16,536.42 £316.27
Tax Credits£16,536.42 £316.27 Means-tested bill reductions
Council Tax Benefit £854.00 £16.33 No amount due, maximum award. Based on an income of £316.27 from tax credits.
Housing Benefit£7,625.00 £145.83 No amount due, maximum award. Based on an income of £316.27 from tax credits.
Total Entitlements
£25,015.42 £478.43 weekly

At the Moment Entitled to seems to be disregarding your earned income which would of course be taken into account for means tested benefits.
It doesn't always function correctly. Sorry I can't help much. I'm sure someone will be along who can help more soon.

mitchaa

So you would get £25k in benefits along with earning a £15k salary?

The £25k in benefits would equate to roughly an equivelant working salary of £33500 + your £15k PT salary so you would be on an income of nearly £50k per year?

You're right something doesn't sound right. Why would you be entitled to HB and CTB?

You would receive quite a bit in WTC and CTC yes, but i doubt £16500 worth.

Ive seen some wild figures coming from entitled to, your case is another example.

If you're going to get the equivelant of a £50k salary then there's something clearly wrong with the welfare system.

shellsuit

Try this calculator from the Inland Revenue and see if it matches what entitledto have given you.

http://www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/Qualify/DIQHousehold.aspx

As for your question, surely this can't be right?, with regards to your income being better living alone with the children, than as a family, it is right ~ madness isn't it!

KylieFan24

I would be careful with entitled to it has been coming back with some random figures for me in the past couple of weeks so i dont know if it can be trusted right now!

Twin-mum-81

Ok, I just went onto that website - thanks but it was saying I am entitled to £400 odd quid per week lol! so I phoned up the helpline and then went to my local government website to get info on housing benefit and this is what it came back with....

£329.14 per week total for all tax credits including childcare fees to be paid out of this.

£14.95 per week council tax benefit
£133.76 per week housing benefit - which would more than cover the rent for somewhere for me to live.

I've worked out that this added to my salary would leave me with over £1000 per month for bills, petrol, food shopping and general live - it seems alot more generous than what I have to manage on at the moment for the family - very bizaar!

Borgie

£329.14 per week total for all tax credits including childcare fees to be paid out of this.

£14.95 per week council tax benefit
£133.76 per week housing benefit - which would more than cover the rent for somewhere for me to live.

I've worked out that this added to my salary would leave me with over £1000 per month for bills, petrol, food shopping and general live - it seems alot more generous than what I have to manage on at the moment for the family - very bizaar! [/quote]


Sorry how many children do you have? If you are earning £15,000 I would be surprised if you were entitled to Council Tax benefit.

I have 2 children and earn 16,500 - I get £48 per week HB on a £750.00 per month rent , no CT benefit.

mitchaa

Are your children both in childcare? How much does this cost per week?

I cant see how you would be entitled to any discount in council tax apart from the 25% single persons discount and i dont believe you'll receive 100% free housing with a working income.

I think you may be entering your data in these calculators incorrectly.

Twin-mum-81

I honestly dont know how or why I am getting these supposed figures!?!?!

Does anyone know where I could go and speak to an actual human being about all this info????

Thanks

shellsuit

Twin-mum-81 wrote: »

Ok, I just went onto that website - thanks but it was saying I am entitled to £400 odd quid per week lol! so I phoned up the helpline and then went to my local government website to get info on housing benefit and this is what it came back with....

£329.14 per week total for all tax credits including childcare fees to be paid out of this.

£14.95 per week council tax benefit
£133.76 per week housing benefit - which would more than cover the rent for somewhere for me to live.

I've worked out that this added to my salary would leave me with over £1000 per month for bills, petrol, food shopping and general live - it seems alot more generous than what I have to manage on at the moment for the family - very bizaar!

I don't understand where you are getting the HB figure from if you are not actually renting anywhere?

You need to enter how much your rent is for them to determine how much HB you would get. Are you putting a figure in for this?

How much is your childcare per week?

The figures you are getting are seriously wrong

bestpud

The tax credits may be correct if your childcare bill is high.

Like others on here though, I am very suspicious of the council tax and housing benefit figures! You will get the 25% single person reduction on your council tax. But I'd have thought you'd be looking at just a few pounds off your rent, if anything.