Can I get tax credits?

[vegas]

Hi guys. Finished work on Fri but got next week down as holidays. Officially start maternity leave the week after. When can u apply for tax credits? Now or after baby born? Thanks

 

[anniecakes]

I belive you can apply for it whenever but whether you get it or not is a different story. They base it on your earnings from the previous tax year and how much your earnings will drop by whilst on ML.

Here's an online calculator which should give you an idea http://taxcredits.hmrc.gov.uk/Qualify/DIQHousehold.aspx

 

[vegas]

Thanks annicakes I'll have a look

 

[babyslog]

Nothing until baby is here x

 

[Tigger87]

The thresholds increase when you have a baby (I think £25k joint earnings before tax), so best to do it then. They can base it on current year income but will ignore the first £2k change. Estimate your income based on your mat leave - but take £100 a week off for every week you're on Mat leave.

To be honest you're unlikely to get anything unless you're on a v small wage. 6 months of normal pay + your partner working usually means you're above the threshold. But keep in mind once you go back to work, they will pay up to 75% of childcare costs - I wasn't entitled to anything while on Mat leave but once I was back working I had about £200 a month toward my childcare x

 

[vegas]

I'm just getting stat maternity pay so 90% for first 6 weeks then £139 per week I think it is. Dunno how I'm going to survive ha ha. Would that effect it?

 

[Tigger87]

I only had stat mat pay, my husband only does 30 hours a week on a relatively low wage and we still weren't entitled! Calculate your wages and call tax credits with an estimate of this years income once baby is here and see what happens x

 

[Belfa]

It's unfortunately quite difficult to get. I am on sat may pay and my husband lost his job 2 weeks after LO was born and we still weren't entitled x

 

[vegas]

God don't think I've got any chance then but I'll still try ha ha

 

[babyslog]

Its very hard!

We wasnt as they go by previous tax year. My OH contracted hours r PT but always does above 40hrs woth overtime and gets a fairly alright p60 every year. So They go by that.

Last year we were then apparently entitled to £50 a month child tax creds. Every lil helps i guess lol.
But then this year we wasnt so they stopped it as my OH made more than what we thought with OT and i went back part time.

It takes u about half a day to even try and speak to someone. But they will want babies DOB and for child benefit they need the birth cert.
They wouldnt even give us an idea of what ws could get until he was here. But worth a go xx

 

[hopingforbabyf]

Tri hopping here but babies will be here in 10 weeks so think I'm allowed lol. I was looking into this the other day and was very confused - we're not entitled to anything until they pay out for 2016/17. Does this mean that even though our income will drop next September after I finish mat leave (not going back) we won't actually receive any tax credits until April 2017? I know you can claim even though you're not entitled in case your circumstances changed but do they not pay out until the next again tax year?

 

[Tigger87]

When you claim, give them your estimate for the current years income. They ignore the first £2k drop (so if it's dropped from £20k to £10k, they'll assess you as earning £12k) and you would then get paid from the date of your claim (I think they back date 6-8 weeks?).

It's usually based on prior year income, but they will consider current year income if circumstances have changed by more than £2k. It also depends on who you get on the phone - some are nice, some are awful! They do base the income on what's earnt between 06/04/15 and 05/04/16 and so on though so if you've had full time wage 6-7 months through the year, your income may be too high xx

 

[DeeDeeAbi]

I can't get tax creds either but everyone can get child benefits! That's £20 a week I think for first child, less if you already have kids xx

 

[*glow*]

Not everyone gets child benefit, it changed a couple of years ago. If you or OH earn over a certain limit (just one of you) then you qualify for less or nothing at all. I have a feeling it starts at 50k and stops altogether at 60k but I am not certain so check it out. Its a very weird system to be honest as you could have a single parent on 50k getting less than a couple on 90k combined!

Anyway loads of info on that one on gov.uk

Good Luck xxxx

 

[mylullaby]

Yeah not everyone is entitled to claim child benefit. I think if one of your incomes is £45k you get less, then if you go over £50k you get nothing. It's a fucked up way they work it out - that a couple earning almost double could claim it while another couple can be penalised because they have one on a higher salary. Doesn't make any sense.