can they do this to him??

[boboff]

Working Tax credits stop after around £25k a year now.

[Skippy]

I was able to claim the new enterprise allowance but did need to be unemployed for six months to be eligible. I needed to be claiming JSA for at least 23 weeks before I could be considered at which point I was then provided with a mentor (who frankly wasn't much help) by the local chamber of commerce and I had to come up with a business plan which needed to be approved by the end of the six month time period. Once approved I then had a further 3 months for the grant to be taken up. After that time I would have lost it. Approval was in november last year and I took up the grant in febuary of this year. It pays me £65 per week for the first 3 months and then £33 per week for the next 3 months. There is also money available to loan although I didn't want or need to take that up.


Pete

[eco-mick]

If your husband is self employed, can't he claim back against his tax for travelling from one job to another, if he doesn't already do that have a look on the Inland Revenue site or give them a call.

Yes - its called form P87 from HMRC website

www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/p87.pdf‎

HTH

[Graye]

Any type of P forms from HMRC are related to PAYE and these particular forms are for odd people like reps etc (travelling to and from work is not claimable generally under PAYE). But he CAN claim all of his motoring costs against self-employed profits (this is fuel, tax insurance, maintenance etc) less a percentage for private use. PLUS a percentage of the value of his vehicle (Capital Allowances). BUT, it strikes me he might not strictly BE self-employed anyway, it's odd that they pay a travelling allowance to a self-employed contractor. Ascertain that first.

[clare]

He is definately self employed and we do get tax credits and although they paid him mileage money for 8 months they are now saying they don't have to so maybe they don't but it doesn't make it any easier,they have now said they won't pay his hour travel to work either another blow/dent to the monthly wage.If he was employed with a written contract they couldn't do it to him as the CAB told me.We can only get help with uniform and school dinners etc if we get income support well whatever its called now which we are not entitled to.Our income is just over what we need to claim most things other than tax credits , we have been getting free nhs prescriprions but ours cards haven't arrived this year so maybe they have been taken too.He has been looking for higher paid work and we have made a bit on ebay/at bootsales lately so we are hoping things will improve.There is a fine line between getting help and not getting help it seems I know they has to be line drawn somewhere ..........

[Crickleymal]

Unfortunately if he was employed they wouldn't be paying travel to work or travel time to work in the first place. He must have had some sort of contract with them in the first place surely? WHat does it say in there?

[clare]

Subcontractors don't have written contracts,he just signed a paper laying out the rules of sub-contracting for the company(health and safety etc),nothing about pay or hours as he is self employed it was all verbally agreed and apparently verbally withdrawn or changed.He was told when he asked why it was being withdrawn"that we don't have to pay sub-contractors travel time or mileage,you are self employed so you are free to work for someone else if you are not Happy about it".No wonder so many sub-contractors leave and go elsewhere they don't seem to grasp that if you play fair you keep workers.It is so hard to find work he applies for lots of jobs every week but some jobs are less money than he's on now so that is no good.

[boboff]

It is a shame, but actually being paid to travel and for expenses of getting to work is very rare, and only normally agreed if the contract is for a short period of time, and they can't get people locally to do the work.

So I would actually think that you were lucky to get it in the first place.

What ever you do, make sure you contact the Tax credit people and give them your new estimated earnings, as he is self employed you have every right to estimate that this is just under the limit to get working tax credits, then keep an eye on it, and if he has to have a Holiday near the end of March to prevent you going over then so be it......

You will then get your NHS card sent to you straight away, and get the free school meals and help with uniforms again. As your circumstances have changed you have every right to let them know. If last year you were just over, then this year with 10 hours a week less wages plus being able to set the cost of travel against his income, I would hazzard a guess you will be under the threshold in any event....But, if you "think" you will be under, you CAN and MUST tell them straight away, otherwise they will be guessing and estimating that you are earning this year what you earned last year.

[clare]

Well we always give an actual figure as the accounts lady we use does the tax return so we give the figure in time for renewal.we have never had free school dinners or help with uniform.has the threshold gone down for the exemtion certificate this year? We have had one the last 3 years.the good news is hubby got a slightly better rate from work he's on a day rate not hourly now which means each job will vary but madly its more than he got on hourly taking off the travel time these companies make it up as they go along.we can just cover the bill now after a few calls to by,the electricity and car insurance we saved a few pounds by asking for a better deal so with a boot sale next weekend and stuff on eBay we are ok for a bit ,he's still looking for better paid work though.

[boboff]

Well it's good things have improved.

The way the system works is during the year, you get paid based on last years figure, but this is only used as an estimate. You can, and should tell them your earnings have decreased to a level which is reasonable.

This may be your estimate, and may be below the new threshold, but that is up to you.

Should your estimate be wrong and they have overpaid you, then they can deduct this from future payments, or set up an arrangement with you to repay it over time.

[clare]

I understand,we are always worried about under-estimating for that reason if we get it really wrong we will "pay for it" in a manner of speaking later on.I will maybe estimate next years figure more cautiously.