Tax Credit / Working Tax Credit?

[Little Pumpkins]

Hiya

I will be new to the tax credit thing in November, I know theres two types. one for us and one to pay for childcare

now heres the question, can you use the childcare one for your child taking up a place

[crazybones]

No. Shame because it would benefit me and its not really fair that I cant earn my full potential because of Will but sadly we cant. :(

[MissTinkerbell]

I wondered that because my 2 take up 2 spaces but then the reason I'm doing childminding is so that I can be at home for them so I guess the benefits far outway the fact that I don't qualify for the chidcare element of the tax credit.

[sarah707]

For more information on tax credits, this is the site to go ...

http://payingforchildcare.org.uk/

But no, as the others have said, you can't claim it for yourself :(

[singlewiththree]

I currently get both tax credits too. At the moment while I'm waiting for registering I have all my children in childcare. 23mth old with a childminder, 3yr at playgroup and my eldest at school/holiday club.

They are right you cant use the child tax credit for your own child however you can use it if you then decide to send them to playgroup and I can also use it send my eldest to holiday club and just pay the difference as she loves it there and has told me that she would still like to go at least half a day once a week as she has friends there.

Do you know if you can still only work the minimum 16hrs with childminding to get the full credit? I'm a single mum and dont really want to work full time so I can get jobs done around the house on the other days.

Paula
Cheshire

[FizzysFriends]

You get a bonus for working over 30 hours and you still get the single parent element, its worth working 30 hours, you dont need to have the kids 30 hours because planning etc is still working.

[butterfly]

how do you put down your paperwork hours?? how can you prove them?