In-Work Credit for Lone Parents

In Work Credit Factsheet 
Extra money to help you return to work

In Work Credit pays extra money in your first year of work, if you were getting Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income Support and you’re a lone parent.
 
It is a tax-free payment of £40 a week. It’s paid direct to you on top of your wages for up to 52 weeks. You must be working or self employed for 16 hours or more a week.
 
You must claim within five weeks of starting work.
 
You must start work on or before 30 September 2013.
 
Will In Work Credit affect any other benefits?
 
In Work Credit does not affect:
• Council Tax Benefit
• Housing Benefit
• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit, or
• Carer’s Allowance.
 
It also doesn’t affect how much income tax you pay, or your National Insurance contributions.
 
Can I get In Work Credit?If you can answer ‘Yes’ to all four questions below, you may get In Work Credit.   

Have you been getting one or more of the following benefits either for yourself or with a partner?
(Getting benefit for 52 weeks or more, before you started your job)
• Income Support, or
• Jobseeker’s Allowance (including as part of a joint claim).
There are other benefits not listed that could qualify you for In Work Credit. This includes when you get National Insurance credits but no benefits.
 

Are you a lone parent (you have one or more child under 16 living with you)?  

Will you be working 16 hours or more a week? 

Do you expect your job to start on or before 30 September 2013 and last more than five weeks?

How do I claim In Work Credit?
 
You can get a claim form by contacting a Jobcentre Plus adviser.
 
Phone: 0845 604 3719
Phone: 0845 604 4248 (Welsh)
 
Textphone: 0845 608 8551
 
How is In Work Credit paid?
We pay benefit straight into your account. Your account can be with a bank, building society or the Post Office.
 
What if my circumstances change?If your circumstances change while you’re getting In Work Credit, you must tell Jobcentre Plus straight away, particularly if:
• your job ends
• you start claiming benefit, or
• you change your address or bank details.
 
In Work Credit will stop if your job ends, but you may claim it again if you start another job on or before 30 September 2013.
 
In Work Credit will be phased out in preparation for the introduction of Universal Credit. No payments will be made if you start, or return to work on or after
1 October 2013.
 
If you are receiving In Work Credit on or before 30 September 2013 your payments will continue for the full 52 week period, unless you have a change in your circumstances that would end the payments. For example, if you stop working.

Calls to 0845 numbers from BT land lines should cost no more than 5p per minute with a 13p call set up charge. You may have to pay more if you use another phone company or a mobile phone, or if you are calling from abroad. Calls from mobile phones can cost up to 40p per minute, so check the cost of calls with your service provider.

Produced by Jobcentre Plus, part of
the Department for Work and Pensions
DWPF04 | v1.0 (September 2012)