Working Tax Credit claim by a spouse of BC.Joint Application

Ok, my sister is about to apply for ILR in March(as some of you may know from my other posts :) married to a Britisch haha citizen.

I have just now realised they can claim Working Tax Credit as it's not regarded a public fund, so...


1) He works 16 hours, just graduated and is 22 y.o.
2) She is 23 and has a crazy work history-
a) Worked on and off at different places part and full-time
b) Recently started a 30-hour job but will have to leave again for a couple of weeks, so realistically will start working properly from March 2010

Qs:

1) How far back can they claim?
2) Is the 30-hour work requirement JOINT? So, if one works 20 hours, the other only needs to work 10?
3) The minimum she would need to work is, 14 hours as he works 16.

4) Is it worth claiming?
He earns around 6k p.a. and she would earn around 9-10k.
5) Finally, as we don't know whether she will be kept at her workplace, how would the whole thing work out? What if she works just a couple of months and stops in August altogether? I have seen the link explaining it, but couldn't figure it out. Would they claim the money in advance and then depending on how much they earned compared to the amount entered on the form, they repay it?

Thanks and it's well confusing really.

You have correctly posted this in the Claiming Benefits section of this board, but not it appears read the first pinned topic in the section, the one that is sub-titled "Read this b4 starting new topic.".

Had you read that topic you would have seen that yes, this is quite technical, but no, the claim for Tax Credits is not a problem .... for the technical reasons spelt out at length in that topic.

...John, I had read the very thread you referred to prior to posting... at length, and the other one, where you have explained at length to Wanderer the exceptions and even prasied by other members (including myself but not expressly there)

My question relates not to whether she's entitled, but how it would work etc, probably it has nothing to do with an immigration query, and I should see a tax adviser or smth.

It is probably straightforward here, yes or no, does it or does it not affect your ILR application.

But, still, if anyone can give me a rough idea to the questions I posted would be greatly appreciated.

Basically, is it worth claiming those or not? Need to do loads of calculation etc. as to how much one is entitled. What is the maximum the couple could get and what are the minimum hours to work for that?

Thanks and please don't take it as an attempt to milk the system, quite the opposite, they wouldn't probably do it, but if so it happens that they are entitled to smth, why not? as you usually say, John :)

John wrote:You have correctly posted this in the Claiming Benefits section of this board, but not it appears read the first pinned topic in the section, the one that is sub-titled "Read this b4 starting new topic.".

Had you read that topic you would have seen that yes, this is quite technical, but no, the claim for Tax Credits is not a problem .... for the technical reasons spelt out at length in that topic.

Sorry, I suspect the easiest way to get an idea how much Tax Credits might be received is to use the HMRC calculator ... click here.

You can also check benefit entitlements here.

thanks guys, i will try and work it out now. The only problem I envisage is working out the difference between the months she might not work in a year.