Starting out- Tax credits

[CHWS]

What do you mean the double?

Signing on the dole as well as working

 

[Bingo]

Slippy......did you go for that mortgage you mentioned a while ago.....if so, you won't be getting 'Housing Benefit' if you have a mortgaged property.

 

[slippy]

I don't live with my girlfriend and baby, (we're together) and pay money for him. Would I still be eligible?

Yeah if I get mortgage, I know I won't get housing benefit!

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

'Entitled / Benefits' Are the two words that see the pi$$ heads of all neighborhoods sat in the local Weatherspoons from 7am till closing every day before going to their home paid for by 'benefits' sitting in front of the TV bought by 'benefits' cause they are 'entitled' to a TV with a subsidized TV licence that they are 'entitled' to whilst smoking fags and drinking beer bought on money received in 'benefits'

To be clear - it is the term and societies mentality of 'entitlement' to something for nothing that I have an issue with.

I have no issue with the OP's quest to find out if he can claim tax credits whilst working on improving his lot in life.

My advice @slippy is get your business plan down on paper, then go get a free consultation from an accountant (they all do a free first consult in hopes of you retaining them on a regular basis)

I think you may actually find that you will be better off should you and your lady move in together as a family whilst you get off the ground. Looking to mortgage further down the road will not be affected any if you have claimed credits in the past as long as you have kept your credit rating in good order.

I also believe that as long as one of you works more than 30 hours per week (regardless of income) you can apply for tax credits.

A few years back I was in a similar boat to yourself, although a ta payer many years I was not 'entitled' to any job seekers or housing benefits etc, all I was entitled to was working tax credits, I was doing 40 hours per week (include all the time you spend running the business, doing the cleaning, paper work, leafleting, collecting money etc) and it worked out I was working for around £2.50 per hour when I first started getting going, I still qualified for around £260 per month in tax credits due to working what they consider a full time job for very low pay.

Before someone points out that £2.50 per hour is below minimum wage, minimum wage applies only to those employed by others, not to the self employed. /emoticons/smile.png

 

[slippy]

'Entitled / Benefits' Are the two words that see the pi$$ heads of all neighborhoods sat in the local Weatherspoons from 7am till closing every day before going to their home paid for by 'benefits' sitting in front of the TV bought by 'benefits' cause they are 'entitled' to a TV with a subsidized TV licence that they are 'entitled' to whilst smoking fags and drinking beer bought on money received in 'benefits'
To be clear - it is the term and societies mentality of 'entitlement' to something for nothing that I have an issue with.

I have no issue with the OP's quest to find out if he can claim tax credits whilst working on improving his lot in life.

My advice @slippy is get your business plan down on paper, then go get a free consultation from an accountant (they all do a free first consult in hopes of you retaining them on a regular basis)

I think you may actually find that you will be better off should you and your lady move in together as a family whilst you get off the ground. Looking to mortgage further down the road will not be affected any if you have claimed credits in the past as long as you have kept your credit rating in good order.

I also believe that as long as one of you works more than 30 hours per week (regardless of income) you can apply for tax credits.

A few years back I was in a similar boat to yourself, although a ta payer many years I was not 'entitled' to any job seekers or housing benefits etc, all I was entitled to was working tax credits, I was doing 40 hours per week (include all the time you spend running the business, doing the cleaning, paper work, leafleting, collecting money etc) and it worked out I was working for around £2.50 per hour when I first started getting going, I still qualified for around £260 per month in tax credits due to working what they consider a full time job for very low pay.

Before someone points out that £2.50 per hour is below minimum wage, minimum wage applies only to those employed by others, not to the self employed. /emoticons/smile.png

Thanks for all the advice.

£260 a month- that's a nice chunk of change! That could help me in the beginning!

Won't be moving in with missus for awhile mind you!

 

[adamangler]

As far as im aware its based on HOUSEHOLD income so if you are not living together it may amake things a lot more complicated..

If she lives on her own with baby and is on a low income she would be entitled to child tax credit, child benefit and housing benefit and working tax if she is indeed working. But would have to claim by herself and take any payments you make towards the child into consideration in any calculations

Therefore if you are living on your own you would only be able to claim working tax.

You could of course say you are living together to make a joint claim.

All the info is on the internet so just do some research.

My current situation is i work part time 16 hours and then do the business on top, but i am still earning a low income and my girlfriend is only working 22 hours per week as she lost her second job a few months ago so we will probably be able to get around £300 per month in benefits once our child is born in january and having worked all my life im not ashamed to take it.

 

[Poles Apart]

As far as im aware its based on HOUSEHOLD income so if you are not living together it may amake things a lot more complicated..
If she lives on her own with baby and is on a low income she would be entitled to child tax credit, child benefit and housing benefit and working tax if she is indeed working. But would have to claim by herself and take any payments you make towards the child into consideration in any calculations

Therefore if you are living on your own you would only be able to claim working tax.

You could of course say you are living together to make a joint claim.

All the info is on the internet so just do some research.

My current situation is i work part time 16 hours and then do the business on top, but i am still earning a low income and my girlfriend is only working 22 hours per week as she lost her second job a few months ago so we will probably be able to get around £300 per month in benefits once our child is born in january and having worked all my life im not ashamed to take it.

The rules have changed you have to work 25 hours or more now to get tax credits

 

[johnny bravo]

30 hours a week, if you claim to work 4 less they can end it, these 30 hours dont have to be all cleaning windows,

canvassing,

paper work, looking at forums for your bussiness.

doing books etc.

= 30 hours.

i went self employed 3 years ago, each year i get less tax credits because im earning more, every bit helps you to keep at it. keep canvassing , buy a round , get regular work to make it pay for being self employed. contact hmrc go through these goverment based companys who help you get started, pertemps etc. keep your records upto date and show you how.

it may take a couple of years to get established. if not get a job, maybe for another more fortunate window cleaner.

it will be good pay if you have the experience.

theres one on gumtree in York advertising for an employee @ £9 per hour. if i didnt have an established workload id bite his hand off.

 

[Dave B]

You'd bite his hand off for £9 an hour??

I liked the stress free part of subbing years ago and was on a tenner an hour 9 years ago now

But doing it for yourself and keeping the whole lot in your pocket is much better

 

[adamangler]

£9 per hour employed VS as much as you dare to dream

id rather struggle on tbh

 

[doug atkinson]

There is nothing wrong with claiming tax credits. For those who are old enough to know this replaced the married tax man's allowance.

Working tax you can only claim once you are 25 yrs of age and work 30 hours I think.

My wages dropped when they stopped the married man's allowance but by claiming the working tax it evened itself out.

 

[Hunty]

So is working tax credits only for people with kids or for single people as well?

 

[adamangler]

people who work

"working" tax credits

 

[slippy]

A friend said that it's difficult to get working tax credits, apparently, the government changed it a bit (people were lying about how much they earned and worked) and now you have show more evidence of your work. Anyone got any experience of this?

If I quit my PAYEE job (or got fired)- and went self-employed (sole-trader).

How much would I get if I was earning a really low amount in the beginning?

How much hassle is it?

When would I get the first payment? (after a year?)

Are your NI stamps paid for your pension?

I really don't want to be ducking and diving on the dole. It would be much easier if I didn't have to worry about customers doing bank transfers and I was totally legit and didn't feel paranoid about anything!

 

[adamangler]

you need to use the calculator i posted up, no idea how much youll get it depends on your circumstances.

 

[Bingo]

Not being funny Slippy, but we're Window Cleaners on here...not Benefit Advisors.....

Gaining a little info here'n'there, some right and some wrong and you'll be going round in circles.

It's YOU who knows your circumstances so........

Why not get in contact or make an appointment with your Benefits Office and seek the correct advice/guidance on what you may claim for.

 

[Beccy]

It's not difficult or a hassle. Phone them up, they'll send you a form, you fill it in and send it back and they'll assess your case and start paying as soon as they've done it, if you are due anything.

Then once a year they will ask you for the figures of your tax return. It really is that simple.

The only way you'll know for certain what they will give you is to apply, although the entitledto calculator is fairly good I think.

 

[Poles Apart]

A friend said that it's difficult to get working tax credits, apparently, the government changed it a bit (people were lying about how much they earned and worked) and now you have show more evidence of your work. Anyone got any experience of this?
If I quit my PAYEE job (or got fired)- and went self-employed (sole-trader).

How much would I get if I was earning a really low amount in the beginning?

How much hassle is it?

When would I get the first payment? (after a year?)

Are your NI stamps paid for your pension?

I really don't want to be ducking and diving on the dole. It would be much easier if I didn't have to worry about customers doing bank transfers and I was totally legit and didn't feel paranoid about anything!

No you get paid immediately and don't have to have proof of earnings as they accept projected earnings, when you receive your self assessment return then that is your earnings which you duly declare.

 

[H20 Hyper Clean]

i'm new to window cleaning and to this forum, but i can tell there are some very experienced guys here, i have basically learnt the trade from watching youtube videos from all the online professionals, i can honestly say i have learnt some quality tricks of the trade that will make me proficient. my story is that i have been on disability benefit for over a decade but due to an improvement in my health i am now able to get back to work (my choice), as a self employed window cleaner. the tax credit info here probably wont apply to me for another year but its valuable info none the less so thanks for that. i also design websites and have designed my own (H20 Hyper Clean). got to put all my skills together to try and beat this onslaught of poverty coming from the brexit S***T storm about to hit us in the next year or two....  

 

[vincent]

You'd bite his hand off for £9 an hour??

I liked the stress free part of subbing years ago and was on a tenner an hour 9 years ago now

But doing it for yourself and keeping the whole lot in your pocket is much better

30 hours a week, if you claim to work 4 less they can end it, these 30 hours dont have to be all cleaning windows,

canvassing,

paper work, looking at forums for your bussiness.

doing books etc.

= 30 hours.

i went self employed 3 years ago, each year i get less tax credits because im earning more, every bit helps you to keep at it. keep canvassing , buy a round , get regular work to make it pay for being self employed. contact hmrc go through these goverment based companys who help you get started, pertemps etc. keep your records upto date and show you how.

it may take a couple of years to get established. if not get a job, maybe for another more fortunate window cleaner.

it will be good pay if you have the experience.

theres one on gumtree in York advertising for an employee @ £9 per hour. if i didnt have an established workload id bite his hand off.

How can you make a living by working at window cleaning for £9 pH, ok if you are PAYE but self employed after all your deductions for insurance, pension, money aside for holidays ect.

 

[vincent]

I apologize to the censorship department but you are *******entitled to absolutely **** all!!

That's my opinion, all you are entitled to is what you go out and EARN for yourself!!

I am so sick and tired of people thinking they are ENTITLED - no your not! I cant wait for a government that has the balls to stop just handing out money cause people think they are ENTITLED!

(Disclaimer: I am not against the welfare state and do believe as society we have a responsibility to take care of those less fortunate than ourselves)

Disability allowance? Since when did FAT become a disability?

There was a bit on radio last year about cuts to 'child ta credits' someone phoned in with a comment, he and the Mrs had a combined income of £98'000 and had two children, they claimed that if their child tax credits were cut they would be struggling!

In what ******* world can a couple not raise two children in comfort with a paltry £98'000 ? And yet they were getting a handout from the government!

I'm sorry but I hope you get no handouts if you choose to quit employment and go self employed as it will make you pound that pavement all day every day until you have a successful business and you will be a better person for it.

You don't really believe that people earning £98,000 a year would be entitled to government help do you? You seem to be suffering from a severe case of outraged indignation induced by listening to Tory lies on the radio.

Don't you know that stories about "benefit scroungers' are peddled by the media in order to demonise the less fortunate in order justify the dismantling of the welfare state.