Search the site

Jobcentre Plus Support and Advice

jobcentre-plus

Jobcentre Plus Support and Advice

 

At Jobcentre Plus, they provide practical support and financial advice about benefits, tax credits, childcare, training, work and looking for a job.

 

Click HERE to visit their Website

 

 

What are tax credits?

 

Tax credits are payments from the government.  If you’re responsible for at least one child or young person that normally lives with you, you may qualify for Child Tax Credit.  If you work, but earn low wages, you may qualify for Working Tax Credit.

 

Elaine is a lone parent with two children and had been on benefits for over 5 years.  When her youngest started full-time education, she wanted to get a job but was concerned about her finances.  Elaine met with Janet a Lone Parent Advisor at Reading and they discussed the job Elaine was interested in applying for.  Janet did a “better off calculation” looking at the salary offered by the employer, the number of hours Elaine would work and calculated any tax credits that would be due.  Elaine says “if it wasn’t for Janet’s help, I wouldn’t have a job.  I absolutely love my job and being in receipt of both the child tax credit and working tax credit on top of my salary, means I am not better off being at work and have re-gained my independence.  I don’t have to tell the children “no” any more and live hand to mouth.  I have that bit extra each week, which I didn’t have whilst on benefits.”

 

Child Tax Credit

 

Tax credits are payments from the government.  If you are responsible for at least one child or young person who normally lives with you, you may qualify for Child Tax Credit.

 

Which children can you claim tax credits for?

 

If you look after and children under the age of 16 – or under 20 if they’re in full-time education or approved training – you may be able to claim Child Tax Credit to help with the cost of looking after them.

 

When you can claim for a child.

 

You can claim tax credits for a child who lives with you, up to 31st August after their 16th birthday.

If your child is between 16 and 19, you can still claim tax credits for them if they’re:

·         Still in full-time education, up to and including ‘A’ levels, NVQ level 3

·         In approved training like Entry to Employment, Skillbuild and Get Ready for Work

 

If your child is between 16 and 17, and they’re not in full-time education or approved training, you can still claim tax credits for them for up to 20 weeks if they have signed up with the Careers Service, Connexions Service or Training and Employment Agency.

 

How much do you get?

 

The amount of tax credits you get depends on things like:

·              how many children you have living with you

·              whether you work – and how many hours you work

·              if you or any child living with you has a disability

 

Your payments also depend on your income.  The lower your income, the more tax credits you can get.

 

 

Working Tax Credits

 

Working Tax Credit is based on the hours you work and get paid for, either as an employee or a self-employed person.  Unpaid work doesn’t count as work when claiming tax credits.

 

What hours do you need to work to get tax credits?

 

There are different hours you need to work to qualify for tax credits depending on:

·              your age

·              if you have children or not

·              if you have a disability

 

You don’t have children

·              If you are aged 25 or over, you need to do paid work of at least 30 hours a week

·              If you have a disability and are 16 or over, you need todo paid work of at least 16 hours per week

·              If you or your partner are aged 50 or over and are going back to work after being on out of work benefits such as Income Support or Jobseeker’s Allowance, you need to do paid work of at least 16 hours a week.

 

If you have children

 

·              You need to be aged 16 or over and do paid work of at least 16 hours per week.

 

When to claim

 

You need to be in paid work at the time you make your claim, or starting paid work within seven days of making your claim.  You will only get tax credits if you actually start this paid work.

 

  

Contact Details

 

You can find out more about tax credits by phoning the Tax Credit Helpline on

Tel: 0845 300 390 or

textphone: 0845 300 3909

(open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm seven days a week)

or visit

www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/taxcredits