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Can anyone enlighten me as to what these are/were and what elligibility used to be (I imagine that it's changed in the last budget).
Thanks peeps.
You are having a laugh, expecting someone on here to attempt to explain something that even people who work there struggle to get over.
I think I can arrange a moon on a stick covered in hens teeth and hobby horse poo a wee bit easier than trying to explain that lot.
it's a means tested state benefit, dressed up as something else
aimed at people with kids, full time workers over 25, disabled workers,
any particular questions you want answered? it's quite a big topic...
Yes, well I was probably being terribly optimistic in asking. Nothing like that is ever straight forward. I guess the really easy question I want to ask is 'can we get it?'. We have two people in work and a 10 month old.
This will give you a fairly good idea what you'd be entitled too:
https://www.turn2us.entitledto.co.uk/entitlementcalculator.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
Entitled to is fairly accurate
Yep, as I suspected. Entitled to the square root of precisely **** all.
If you both earn the same every week, and have no variation at all in income its reasonably easy to work out (both long and short term) - anything else...
And how come you are only asking now - you've missed out on 7 (backdate up to 3 months) months worth.
Are you sure Geetee? Is it because your gross income is over 56k?
geetee1972 - if you are not entitled to anything then you probably have more than enough cash already. Benefits are there for people who need them not people who could just do with an extra few quid. Apologies in advance if you are not one of those who has a good income.
That's a rather personal question Steve.
FWIW I don't feel we should be owed anything at all, even before they changed the system. And I really didn't want to give the impression that I felt we ought to be entitled, although I know that's how it came across. Just wanted to confirm what I thought was obvious.
You bought your question on here!!
I was genuinely trying to be helpful.
Oh it's OK I wasn't offended mate. I appreciate your help, thanks.
If a couple both work and earn less than £60k pa (reducing soon to £40k) and have children they may be eligible. If the child/ren are in paid for childcare it is more likely they will be. Get all the information you need (earnings, childcare costs etc) and call.
dont forget to factor in school holiday cover...obvious as it would seem it's pretty easy to think childcare costs me £X per week for morning/evening cover...goes up a lot for full days.
goes up a lot for full days.
Indeed it does. In our local area, if you want a decent child minder, i.e. one that doesn't use the TV to keep the little darlings happy and quiet, works more like a teacher than a babysitter etc, you're paying c. £1000 per month for full time care.
We applied last year after Jnr W2K came along, and I was surprised when we qualified for £44 a month. Our joint income (properly declared on the forms etc) was in excess of £60k, so maybe they made a mistake? Just filled in the annual review form so we'll see what happens!
My wife works only part time (2.5 days a week), term time and the childcare is attached to the school so they don't charge for holidays. HMRC averaged out over 12 months and we get about £280 a month.
I have just renewed mine. Has gone down from £52 per week to £23. And I am still a single parent earning just over £20k pa. Doesn't make sense at all.
that really doesn't make sense - do you pay for childcare or had any other change in circumstance (ie, the child/ren have reached school age)?
Why not ask them to check their calculations.
FWIW, I went through the entitlement calculation and found that we could claim tax credits for my daughter. I've not done so because I think the benchmark is actually set too low.