Hello all
First time poster so please go easy on me! Here's our situation:
I am a full time post graduate PhD student. I have been awarded a scholarship which is paid quarterly by the ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council). It is a tax-free stipend that is intended for general living costs and course costs.
My husband had a full-time job, earning around £14,500pa, and we have one 16 month old baby. When my husband was working full time, we were claiming child benefit, child tax credits and working tax credits. My scholarship was NOT taken into account by HMRC for tax credits as it is not taxable / not a wage.
Sadly, my husband's working hours have been cut to 16 hours per week. This will give us a weekly income from his wage of £118. We have stopped claiming WTC.
We have applied for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, but the lady doing the claim really had no idea about my studentship and didn't 'get' that it wasn't a wage, govt bursary or loan. She told me that if it is a 'charitable' or 'voluntary' payment, that it would be disregarded and we'd be eligible for full HB and CTB. However, if it is regarded as a 'wage' (I don't get a wage slip, P60 etc) we are not entitled to any help.
I know it's just a case of waiting until the application has been processed, but this is really worrying me - if we don't get any help we can't afford to pay our bills - we'll be about £300pcm short which is an enormous amount to us. I can hardly think about anything else and it's affecting my sleep. I'm so worried.
Can anyone shed any light as to what my studentship is considered as for HB and CTB purposes? We live in the East Riding of Yorkshire if this helps.
Thanks in advance
First time poster so please go easy on me! Here's our situation:
I am a full time post graduate PhD student. I have been awarded a scholarship which is paid quarterly by the ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council). It is a tax-free stipend that is intended for general living costs and course costs.
My husband had a full-time job, earning around £14,500pa, and we have one 16 month old baby. When my husband was working full time, we were claiming child benefit, child tax credits and working tax credits. My scholarship was NOT taken into account by HMRC for tax credits as it is not taxable / not a wage.
Sadly, my husband's working hours have been cut to 16 hours per week. This will give us a weekly income from his wage of £118. We have stopped claiming WTC.
We have applied for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, but the lady doing the claim really had no idea about my studentship and didn't 'get' that it wasn't a wage, govt bursary or loan. She told me that if it is a 'charitable' or 'voluntary' payment, that it would be disregarded and we'd be eligible for full HB and CTB. However, if it is regarded as a 'wage' (I don't get a wage slip, P60 etc) we are not entitled to any help.
I know it's just a case of waiting until the application has been processed, but this is really worrying me - if we don't get any help we can't afford to pay our bills - we'll be about £300pcm short which is an enormous amount to us. I can hardly think about anything else and it's affecting my sleep. I'm so worried.
Can anyone shed any light as to what my studentship is considered as for HB and CTB purposes? We live in the East Riding of Yorkshire if this helps.
Thanks in advance