Are you eligible for Tax Credits?

There are two types of Tax Credit and there is also Child Benefit:

Child Tax Credits

You could get Child Tax Credit for each child you’re responsible for if they’re:

• under 16
• under 20 and in approved education or training

You don’t need to be working to claim Child Tax Credit.

https://www.gov.uk/child-tax-credit

Child Benefit Changes

The current rate of child benefit is £20.30 a week for the oldest child and £13.40 a week for each subsequent child. The payments are made every four weeks into one parent’s bank account.

From Monday 7 January 2013, any household in which someone earns more than £50,000 will no longer be entitled to the full payment. Households which include someone earning more than £60,000 will not be entitled to any child benefit at all.

However, rather than just paying parents less the government will continue to pay the full amount and claw back overpayments through the tax system and a new High Income Child Benefit Charge – unless you opt not to receive the payments.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2013/jan/03/child-benefit-changes-what-they-mean

Working Tax Credits

Working tax credits are less easy to understand and often overlooked. They are awarded on a points system.

A working family with 2 Children could earn up to £58k and still get Working Family Tax Credits, on £30k they would get £12k in tax credits, at £40k its £8k and £50k its £4k (according to Tax Cafe – Small Business Tax Saving Tactics).

Claims are initially based on your previous years income and can only be backed a month.

Follow this link to find out how much you could be entitled to https://www.gov.uk/working-tax-credit/overview

The benefits system will be changing again with the introduction of Universal Credits in October 2013.

steve@bicknells.net