partner moving in

[ben oseman]

hey guys,

 

back in march me and my partner broke up. she started a single claim with an income for 2014-2015 is £6000 she was awarded 70wtc and 115ctc. we have 2 children. however i want to move back in, my income is £16000. now if we live together we are entitled to no working tax but 90 ctc. how does this work? as soon as we start the claim will we recieve the 90pw or will it be less because of how much she has already recieved this year? also does anyone know how long we will go without money when we make new claim

[estellyn]

Your partner will need to end her single claim and you both then reclaim as a couple. For the new award to be decided can take from 2 weeks to 12 weeks. The award won't be based on what your partner has already received, but will be based on what you both earned in the last tax year.

[ben oseman]

Would it be reduced though due to her already being paid quite high so far?

[estellyn]

No, her previous single person claim has no bearing at all on your couple claim.

[ben oseman]

So on entilted to it says 150 a week entitlement. It shud be at that rate ish and not reduced because shes been iverpaid? Do you know this as a fact. Btw im not being rude its just that my life feels like a mess and we need to get right this. Thank you

[estellyn]

A single tax credit claim and a couple tax credit are two separate claims. Overpayments or payments on one cannot effect or be recovered from the other. Your rate of tax credits on the couple claim will be calculated by your and your partner's gross income in the previous tax year (unless your income this tax year are estimated to be significantly less than last tax year, in which case one the claim is processed, you can request it be calculated on this year's estimate).

 

 

I can't speak to the accuracy of the 'entitledto' calculations though.

 

 

ETA: regarding knowing as a fact, I've worked as a benefit adviser for 10 years, plus several years before in the DWP. If you need to be sure about the calculations please take advice in person from a benefit adviser, for instance CAB, welfare rights etc

[ben oseman]

A single tax credit claim and a couple tax credit are two separate claims. Overpayments or payments on one cannot effect or be recovered from the other. Your rate of tax credits on the couple claim will be calculated by your and your partner's gross income in the previous tax year (unless your income this tax year are estimated to be significantly less than last tax year, in which case one the claim is processed, you can request it be calculated on this year's estimate).

 

 

I can't speak to the accuracy of the 'entitledto' calculations though.

 

 

ETA: regarding knowing as a fact, I've worked as a benefit adviser for 10 years, plus several years before in the DWP. If you need to be sure about the calculations please take advice in person from a benefit adviser, for instance CAB, welfare rights etc

 

 

 

So what happens to the money she aleady been paid this year will it or any of it need to be paid back?

[caro]

Why should it need to be paid back? If it's what she was entitled to for the period she was single, then she hasn't been overpaid for that period. As has already been said, this is a new joint claim going forward so what she's had is irrelevant.

[estellyn]

So what happens to the money she aleady been paid this year will it or any of it need to be paid back?

 

 

Your new couple claim won't start from april 6th 2014, it will start on the day you make the claim, for instance 20th May 2014. Any tax credits your partner has received will apply from April 6th to 19th May, then your couple claim will apply from 20th May onwards. There is no overlapping to the claims.

[ben oseman]

Your new couple claim won't start from april 6th 2014, it will start on the day you make the claim, for instance 20th May 2014. Any tax credits your partner has received will apply from April 6th to 19th May, then your couple claim will apply from 20th May onwards. There is no overlapping to the claims.

 

 

well estellyn thank you very much for miss informing me.

[antone]

well estellyn thank you very much for miss informing me.

 

Would you care to elaborate on that?

[estellyn]

well estellyn thank you very much for miss informing me.

 

 

Yes please do elaborate....

[blondebubbles]

The threshold for WTC as a couple is approx £18,000 so if you and your partners combined income is £22,000 then there would be no WTC paid. Please note this threshold may differ depending on working hours/disabilities etc

 

There are entitlement tables here to give an idea of what you could get but if you want a more accurate calculation then ask the tax credit helpline. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tax-credits-entitlement-tables

 

When you change from a single claim to a joint claim, providing the change is updated within 1 month, the single claim would end and the joint claim would start the following day. Each claim would be calculated using these dates. Depending on when the change is reported there could be an overpayment but not in all cases.

 

There is also info here on repaying overpayments

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/leaflets/cop26.pdf

 

You should note from this that if there is an overpayment in the single claim, this can be recovered from your joint claim.

[estellyn]

That's interesting about the change in single claim overpayments being able to taken now from couple claims. But as this wasn't a concern of the OP, not sure what he feels I got wrong. Always keen to be corrected if I do get something wrong.

[blondebubbles]

That's interesting about the change in single claim overpayments being able to taken now from couple claims. But as this wasn't a concern of the OP, not sure what he feels I got wrong. Always keen to be corrected if I do get something wrong.

 

I'm sure it was only this year (last year at a push) that it changed. It was a good idea, there was quite a lot of people that wanted it that way rather than making direct payments but weren't allowed to.

[estellyn]

I'm sure it was only this year (last year at a push) that it changed. It was a good idea, there was quite a lot of people that wanted it that way rather than making direct payments but weren't allowed to.

 

 

Thanks for highlighting it

[ben oseman]

So what I would like to clarify is that in entitled to we are quoted 150 which is about accurate. If we notify the tax credits the day I moved in would these payments be reduced due to the high amount she already has recieved? Or will they work it out proportionately.

[blondebubbles]

If she had an overpayment, this could be recovered from your new claim. If she doesn't have an overpayment then the payments from the single claim wouldn't affect those in the joint claim.

 

Without knowing the full circs I can't say for definite the £150 is the correct amount. Eg you quoted a household income of £22,000. Is that for this year or last year? If this year, was last years figures any different?

Are there childcare costs?

Anyone disabled?

How many hours do you both work?

[ben oseman]

Lets say for argument sake 150 is accurate. Will it be reduced because im moving in?. Ourincome totalls 20k last yr and same this yr. How would over payment occur?

[caro]

If your partner had forgotten to inform them of a change in circumstances or there was an admin error. If it's down to their error she could challenge having to repay any resulting overpayment.

[ben oseman]

She has informed hosing benefit I will mive in on 9th and she will ring tax cf credits that morning

[blondebubbles]

Sorry I thought you said hers was £6000 and yours £16000? So that would be £22,000?

 

As stated already, overpayment would occur if she hadn't updated changes at the time. For example, if you move in and she didn't tell them for a month, any money received from when you move in until she tells them will be an overpayment.

 

Her awards notices would show if she currently has any outstanding overpayments.

 

If she reports the changes on time and has no outstanding overpayments then anything she was already paid wouldn't affect your new claim.