Child/Working Tax Credits - when should I re-apply?

SarahLou

This is probably a really easy question for someone to answer but I don't know much about this sort of thing so any advice will be greatly appreciated!

My partner (fiance) and I have never applied for any sort of benefits or tax credits prior to our daughter being born last summer (now aged 9 months).

We applied for child tax credits and working tax credits between us when she was born last July. I had gone on maternity leave from work in the middle of June so throughout my 9 months of maternity leave I was to be paid the £400 (ish) a month directly from the government via my workplace. I.e. I've been getting just "Statuatory Maternity Pay" and nothing extra from my workplace. Now the 9 months is up so I won't be getting paid any more "maternity pay". I got my last "pay slip" with the £400 on on March 25th. My job will remain open til the end of June but obviously I won't get paid anything in the meantime.

Now my partner and I have pretty much conclusively decided that I won't be going back to work for a while and so I'll be "quitting" my job essentially.

Now obviously when we applied for child and working tax credit, all the answers I was filling in were essentially based on us both working (i.e. most were based between April 2006 and April 2007 - which, between that time, I was earning my full wage). However, obviously, not only have I not been earning anywhere near that amount whilst i've been just getting my £400 statuatory maternity pay, but also, now I'm not getting paid a penny from my workplace in teh form of this maternity pay, and, if I don't go back, I won't be earning my old wage again. Soooo, surely our child/working tax credits should go up?

I'm assuming they must do, mustn't they?!

When should we phone up to get some more forms sent out? As I'm sure we should be entitled to more money now as they're still basing their figures on what I earnt between 2006 and 2007 which will be no where near what our household income will be like from now on, or indeed what its been like whilst I've been on maternity. They didn't even ask on the forms how much I was getting paid in maternity allowances - as obviously some employers pay their employees x amount of their wages too - which sadly my place weren't willing to do!! :rotfl:

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Mollymop5

You should ring the day your circumstances change.That is what everyone is told whether it's hours worked,change of job, new baby, new partner or whatever.I find their helpline really good.The number will be on the top of your tax credit letters.They recalculate your money there and then.This means they don't over pay you or under pay you.Give them a ring today.You will need national insurance numbers, address details and details of money earnt that year.P60 will have these details on if you have them.Then tell them you will no longer be working.
It's not a case of re applying it's a case of changing your details.Had you not needed to ring them you would have a form called an Annual Declaration come through for you to check and ammend any details.
Good luck

SarahLou

Thanks for that :money: