Left Main Only Job And Started A New Main Only Job Within 7 Days (Info)

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A claimant may inform you that they have left their job (their main only job) and started a new main only job, within 7 days. The job they left could have been either in employment or self-employment. The start date for the new job occurred before today’s date.

Note: If the claimant has left their employment but they still have at least one job detailed on the computer, follow the guidance in Left Main Job (Has Other Jobs) And Started Another Main Job Within 7 Days

A tax credit claimant who does not have a NINO may be allocated a Temporary Tax Credit Reference (TTCR) to allow their tax credits claim to be processed.

This guidance covers the backdating process for when you are notified of the change

• Within 3 months of the claimant starting the new job

Or

• If you are notified more than 3 months after the claimant started the new job

By following the relevant steps, you will ensure that the claimant receives the correct payment.

Any change of circumstances you make must be applied, one at a time. Where the claimant has informed you of several changes that have occurred at different times, you must apply the changes in sequence, starting with the oldest change first.

You must consider whether the total weekly hours will increase the maximum tax credits award. That is, before any income reduction is applied. An increase will occur when the claimant is

• Responsible for at least one child and the total weekly hours increases from below 16 hours to 16 hours or more. There is no other job that qualifies the family for Working Tax Credit (WTC)

• Responsible for at least one child and the total weekly hours for both claimants increases from below 30 hours to 30 hours or more

Note: One or both of the claimants must be working 16 hours or more a week

Where the total number of hours before and after the change qualifies the claimant to Working Tax Credit (WTC) and the gap between changing the main only job is less than 7 days, the claimant will be treated as continuing work through the gap with their ‘old’ hours.

If WTC entitlement ends due to employment changes, for example total hours worked have dropped below 16 or employment ends, the claimant may be entitled to IS, income based JSA or income-related ESA. They will continue to receive WTC for 4 weeks starting from the day after entitlement ended. The claimant will receive a letter explaining this .

Note: Claimants serving a prison sentence are not treated as being in remunerative work and so this will not apply to them

To check the new job start date is within 7 days, count 7 days from the day after the ‘old’ job ended.

Note: When entering new employment details, the date for the previous employment is currently being overridden with the processing date – minus 1 day. To ensure that the correct details are updated when ending the employment details, you will need to carry out the actions in the Amend Finish screen, then re-enter the new employment details and carry out the actions in the Amend Finish screen again. This will apply where you

• Are entering new employment details or replacing existing employment details in the Main Employment Details section

• Are replacing main employment details with existing employment details

• Are entering new self employment details or replacing existing self-employment details on the Self Employment Details section

This action will produce more than one award notice.

Where there is a 50+ Start Date signal present, you must let the signal continue. You must not enter a 50+ End Date until further notice.