a big pay rise - but i get less money!

[crisgal]

we get child tax credit of about £200 a month. As I only work part time, it's been a lifesaver and we really couldn't manage without it at the moment.
We were lucky enough, at work, to be given a generous pay rise - about £70 a month more, before tax.
i rang the tax credit peeps, to tell of my changes - as you're supposed to, and was told that I will only be entitiled to get £40 a month as I will earn too much!

Everyone at work is really happy and I'm proper miffed!
It means we'll be worse off and that's not fair.
I really can't fathom how they work it out :(
Am I entitled to refuse the pay rise?

[clokey]

That sounds right to me .When the election is on vote well and get rid of Brown.

[crisgal]

i work 21 hours a week, but we only work for 38 weeks in the year. Actually, i don't know if i've ever told them that.
I thought 16 hours was the magic number?

[crisgal]

that was very helpful, eddie, but according to the results, i should be getting £40 a week - not month!
I wonder if they've done it wrong?

[hannah40]

I work 16hrs and term time only and i phoned tax credits and told them and they said providing your contract stated 16hrs weekly it was ok to work termtime only and get tax credits,i was really worried about it .

[momcj]

Yes that is right. If you are contracted at least 16 hours a week and work term time you do still get tax credits. Also you are only entitled to free school dinners if you just get child tax credit, not if you get working tax credit.
Ring them up and ask them to double check and explain you have come to a different calculation using the online calculator.

[crisgal]

thanks everyone - i'll ring them again.
I do have some taken off me - from when they paid me too much years ago!

[suzie1]

so how many hours max do you have to be working to NOT be entitled to working tax, i work 20hours and i am up for a 27hour job soon, will my working tax credit stop.

[crisgal]

i have no idea suzie - they don't give you a straight answer. we shouldn't be penalised, just cus our hours go up or we get paid a bit more.

[Whoever]

Do you subscribe to a company pension scheme or have a private pension scheme? If you do you could probably arrange to pay your monthly increase into the scheme and it might be deducted and not counted towards to child tax credit entitlement. Also any money paid into a pension scheme is grossed up for tax. I'm not sure whether gross income or net income is counted for child tax credit. Somebody else on here might be able to tell you.

[momcj]

Suzie-I dont think there is an upper level of amount of hours. it depends on how much you (and your partner if there is one) gets. You could try the calculator on www.hmrc.gov.uk.