I’ve been looking on HMRC and its as clear as mud. If my wife stops work to look after our child can we claim anything other than child benefit?

I don’t think we qualify for tax credits and as she won’t be actively looking for work I assume that she will be unable to claim JSA.

Is there something I’m missing?

No

Balls, thought as much

She could also look after someone elses child, and charge them?

She could also look after someone elses child, and charge them?

Only if an accredited childminder…

Only if an accredited childminder…

Are you sure, or just confusing ‘accredited’ with ‘registered’?

She would be able to claim income support if eligible – but I doubt she would be eligible (at least not straight away) if she gives up her job.

You might be able to claim working tax credits (but there again, do you BOTH have to be working for more than 16 hours a week to claim those?).

Working tax credits are payable as long as one of you is working, and you have a joint claim!

As long as one of you is working more than 16hrs a week you can claim working tax credits. Best bet is to phone the HMRC tax credits hotline. You’ll be on hold for ages, but in my experiance they are pretty knowledgeable and happy to answer stupid questions.

I thought that would be the case but DirectGov isn’t clear – it only lists two parents (or one if single) working 16 hours or more or both (or one if single) not working at all.

Surely if you don’t qualify for tax credits its because you earn over the threshold.

Surely if you don’t qualify for tax credits its because you earn over the threshold.

If only it were that sensible

Well I know I don’t.

We used to qualify for CTC but not WTC . Received notification by letter that we were no longer eligible for tax credits as our household income was above the new set level , of around 27k.You can get childcare vouchers tax free if your employer runs the scheme, look into that…

Check out here what you are entitled to:

Benefits Adviser

It calculates what you entitled to if you are in or out of work

some more good advice here:

Advice Guide

couples have to work over 24hrs now to qualify for wtc.

16hrs if you are single

But still only 16 hours for the child element I believe.

Good luck with getting the Working tax credit sorted. I split up from my partner in March and they still have not managed to sort out my claim. I know its not very helpful but i just wanted to vent 🙂