I tell you something, there is no wonder half the population (well, probably more) are on benefits. In my employment history, let's say I've never been on a brilliant wage and so have claimed tax credits to help top it up. This I appreciated from the Government as it allowed me to support my family. I have passed on higher paid offers in favour for job security and being looked after. This has many a time turned out to be the right choice as said offering companies have later gone under. The company I work for has fairly low overheads and so have managed to keep their heads above water through the recessions.
Now that things are little more stable, I decided, for one reason or another, it was time to make a few more quid and stop relying on the government helping me out. Plus if the Tories get their way, these benefits will eventually stop. I have decided that the best way for me to go about this is to take the leap to self employment. I can carry on doing work for my current (well it's technically now my past company) at a decent rate and also opens up opportunities to other things.
So, I ring up HMRC and register as SE, guy on phone was a right mardy so and so. I'm not even going into that here....
I then think, 'right, ring tax credits up and get that knocked on the head'. So, I spoke to a nice lady, I tell her my details including my P45 value and what I expect to earn over next 6 months (to end of financial year). I have no idea what I will earn but I was conservative about it and made the 2 figures equal about £20K. OK she says, we will put your amendment in post.
'I thought it would just stop' I exclaim.
'No. if your earning less than about £32k you are still entitled to something..' she says.
'OK' I said, well in that case I'm going to put anything you give me now into a separate bank account and then at the end of year when / if you ask for it back then it will all be there. Surely you cannot ask for more that you have given me since my notification to you.??
Her reply
'Well, actually, it is done over the 12 month period so if you make more than you told us last year then we will ask for the difference back'
HANG THE F**K ON!!!! So your telling me if I earn more than my £12K I have earned for the last god knows how many years, they I could owe you £000's because for the last 6 months I have needed that help?
Her - 'eeerrrr, yep. It's done over the 12 months'
but that is atrocious. I needed that money then as I was on low wage, Now I'm trying to better myself, your going to penalize me and make me worse off than I was in the first place by asking for it all back. Surely it should just cut off from your employment status change and re-factor from there on????
'......Well, that's how it is, sorry. Let us know if your estimate is out by £2.5k either way as soon as so we can re-calculate again.....'
'I don't want the money, can it stop?'
'No, sorry we have to keep paying you your entitlement......' headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang
if things go how I hope, then it looks like I will owe them all they pay me from now until april (which will be in an account ready) AND most of what they have paid me for the last 6 months!
Wish I'd just stayed employed, sponging off the government like everyone else.......
Sorry, rant over.
Now that things are little more stable, I decided, for one reason or another, it was time to make a few more quid and stop relying on the government helping me out. Plus if the Tories get their way, these benefits will eventually stop. I have decided that the best way for me to go about this is to take the leap to self employment. I can carry on doing work for my current (well it's technically now my past company) at a decent rate and also opens up opportunities to other things.
So, I ring up HMRC and register as SE, guy on phone was a right mardy so and so. I'm not even going into that here....
I then think, 'right, ring tax credits up and get that knocked on the head'. So, I spoke to a nice lady, I tell her my details including my P45 value and what I expect to earn over next 6 months (to end of financial year). I have no idea what I will earn but I was conservative about it and made the 2 figures equal about £20K. OK she says, we will put your amendment in post.
'I thought it would just stop' I exclaim.
'No. if your earning less than about £32k you are still entitled to something..' she says.
'OK' I said, well in that case I'm going to put anything you give me now into a separate bank account and then at the end of year when / if you ask for it back then it will all be there. Surely you cannot ask for more that you have given me since my notification to you.??
Her reply
'Well, actually, it is done over the 12 month period so if you make more than you told us last year then we will ask for the difference back'
HANG THE F**K ON!!!! So your telling me if I earn more than my £12K I have earned for the last god knows how many years, they I could owe you £000's because for the last 6 months I have needed that help?
Her - 'eeerrrr, yep. It's done over the 12 months'
but that is atrocious. I needed that money then as I was on low wage, Now I'm trying to better myself, your going to penalize me and make me worse off than I was in the first place by asking for it all back. Surely it should just cut off from your employment status change and re-factor from there on????
'......Well, that's how it is, sorry. Let us know if your estimate is out by £2.5k either way as soon as so we can re-calculate again.....'
'I don't want the money, can it stop?'
'No, sorry we have to keep paying you your entitlement......' headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang headbang
if things go how I hope, then it looks like I will owe them all they pay me from now until april (which will be in an account ready) AND most of what they have paid me for the last 6 months!
Wish I'd just stayed employed, sponging off the government like everyone else.......
Sorry, rant over.