Help!

Bagpuss1984

Hi, i really hope someone can help me shed some light on my situation! as i am completely confused!

I am a single mum of two, aged 5 and 3. I work 25 hours per week. My hours change quite offen, as sometimes at year end and busy periods the office needs some extra hands! I have always informed tax credits about all my changes no matter how small.

This time last year i was working 25 hours per week, and paying £135 pw for childcare fees. My rent came to £58 per week and my council tax is £98 per month. My monthly salary would be £571. I used to recieve £288 per week in working tax and child tax credits. Which was fine and i was able to live comfortably.

In october last year i started working 35hours a week, I told them about my change of hours and that i had no change in childcare. My payments came down to £241 pw and my monthly pay was averaged around £780-800 depending how much hours i worked as sometimes i would only be in 30.

The start of March this year my grandmother took ill and therefore i could not rely on my granda to take my oldest up and down to school everyday, so instead of having to put him in a before and after school club, i decided i was going to go back to working my contracted 25 hours per week, that way i thought i would be no worse off than i was and i would get to spend more time with my kids.

I called the tax credits the week after i cut my hours and they changed my claim and sent me out new award letters and things. The next thursday to my horror i only recieved £170 into my bank, so i called and asked why. The woman was very nice but she said that was all i was entitled to!! I said what i have just cut my hours and went on to part -time and losing £300 a month as a result and now my credits are being cut almost £100 a week!! She said that there was nothing i could do and basicly that was it!!

I dont know what to do! I cant afford to live! I pay out £135 nursery fees every week and my rent comes straight out my bank on a thurs when my credits go in, so im left with nothing!I have bills to pay, food to buy, electric, clothes for the kids, my store cards have went unpaid this month because i cant afford it! I also have £230 to pay each month for my car. I just dont know how im going to cope!

Can anyone tell me how they have done this! Im hoping that its some sort of mistake! and would appreciate any advice anyone has to offer.

Thanks in advance,
Louise

Biffa

HI,

Put in a claim for housing benefit with your council. They will take into account your chldcare fees and may be able to help with your rent and your council tax.

Put the claim in as soon as you can/

(Sorry this is such a short reply, late for work!)

jetcat

i think you need more specialised help tbh!! there is an online calculator at entitledto.co.uk where you can input your details and it should give you an indication of how much you could get. but, because of the changes in your hours etc. i am not sure how reliable it would be?

have you a local CAB or something who can do a benefit check for you? some LA's have a wefare rights dep who may be able to help as well. there is also a phone number - CLA on 0845 345 4345 who will also help with benefits info.

def follow up the previous poster's advice of housing benefit, council tax benefit etc. could maybe ask for benefit advice when you ring for the forms?


as an edit - i just had a look on entitledto (hope you dont mind!) and to me, you should def be getting more!!! as it is a new financial year as well, they should be awarding on the 25 hours work. when you get your renewal form, and look they look at the last financial year as a whole then things may change again - but you need (obviously) to get this sorted now!!! by the way, it also shows that even with higher tax credits, you should still get some help re. housing/council tax benefit.

hth and good luck!

jay1jay

Have you given them an estimate of yur earnings for the new tax year based on your new hours? If not, your claim could be based on last years wages.