child tax credits

[onlyme26]

hello, just wondered if anyone could answer my question,

right im working full time and have a 7 year old, i earn too much to get working tax credit but i get child tax credit, they also help towards my child care fees,

im 16 weeks pregnant and i was just working out whether i can afford to have a full year off work, my work do a very generous mat package but only for 6 months, then i would be in smp for 6 months, i just wondered what happened to my existing claim of child tax credit? because techincally you have to be working to be able to claim for it, plus i wont need the childcare element of help as i will beable to take and pick up my eldest from school as i will be off for a year

so i was just wondering if they put it on hold for a year or do you still get your child tax credit?

[onlyme26]

ps: the only reason i ask this is because, last time i called up the guy said if you let your claim run out you have to start from scatch and may be unable to re claim!!

im not money grabbing lol!!!!

i will need to claim childcare help for my second child when i do return to work after my year off,

[natalie_1982]

I don't know about your exact situation but I think the best you can do is every time your situation changes, ring and do another assessment. I returned to work four weeks ago after 6months maternity and am now waiting to find out from WTC if my money goes up or down. I couldn't afford to live on SMP for another 6months so returned to work and now my daughter is in daycare four days per week and I claim childcare vouchers, if I fell pregnant now then i would have to do another assessment when the baby was born because of changes in circumstances (new baby, no childcare costs, etc). It's frustrating, but I was always told by WTC people (I assume the same as CTC) that they will not assess until you are in the position that you need it. If that makes sense

[natalie_1982]

Ooooh, you money grabber you.......

[onlyme26]

yes thats exactly the problem! that wont do anything till i actually am on maternity, they wont even give me figures, silly isnt it! lol thanks anyway x

[natalie_1982]

It's ridiculous - how do they expect people to prepare? I had no idea about how much I would be entitled to which obviously has an effect on how many hours I can work and how many childcare days I can afford. As it is, I don't know how i would find out if I could afford to drop down to three days without actually dropping to three days LOL!