What is the difference between working over/under 16 hours per week?

newish2this

Hi,
I work 15 hours per week and have just had my WTC review forms through. I was just wondering what difference does it make if you work over or under 16 hours a week? Would it be beneficial to me to increase my working week by one hour? I'd hate to think I was missing out on something;)

Thanks for your help!:D

Valley's_girl

Hi I don't have any advice for you but I am sure someone will be along shortly who will.
Best wishes
Ally xx

msmicawber

If you work 16 hours or more per week you would be entitled to Tax Credits. Also, with Tax Credits, you receive an extra amount if you work over 30 hours per week (provided you're over 25 years old). So, yes, it would likely be advantageous to you to work more hours.

jay1jay

I think msmicawber means working tax credits. I presume you have kids if you receive tax credits and only work 15hrs/week. Well if your hrs increased to 16hrs you would get wtc as well as ctc.

bestpud

It depends on whether or not you have a partner too.

If you have a partner and they work fulltime you'd see no benefit on increasing your hours unless you pay for childcare. You both need to be working more than 16 hours to receive help with childcare, but your joint income would have to be low enough too, obviously.

If you are a single parent, you would possibly be entitled to wtc and childcare help if you worked 16 hours or more.

There is slight differences (I think) if any of you have a disability though, but I don't know much about that.

msmicawber

Thank you, jay1jay, I did mean working tax credits.
Here's the link to the calculator, newish2this, since it's hard to know whether increasing your hours would benefit you financially without knowing more about your personal circumstances: http://www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/Qualify/DIQHousehold.aspx

newish2this

Thank you for all your replies!!!:D

And sorry, I should have been more specific (I'm on nights at the mo and my brain is pickled!!:rolleyes: )

I am married with 3 children and we do get Working Tax Credit already (albeit, a very small amount..... but I'm not grumbling:D ).
I don't claim child care costs as I work my shifts around my husband!

So, from what I can gather, there would be no benefit from me increasing my hours (phew, I really didn't want to do this but would have, if it were beneficial:o ).

Thank you all:T

fi_trix29

If your husband already works over 16 hrs then the benefit of you getting the extra hour would be that you would be able to claim towards help with childcare costs so you wouldn't have to try to get shifts to fit around your husbands, so might end up with more time together.

If you are interested in this then get an idea of this years and last years income for your household and the weekly childcare costs and give the helpline a call for a calculation on how much you would be entitled to, it can be up to 80% of the childcare costs!