Paye Expert Needed

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

 

Does anyone know if my staff member is entitled to SSP,

She has been off work for 2 weeks

She will be off work for a month.

She claims WFTC.

Previous 8 weeks worked for average 16 hrs a week, average earnings £77.60p.w.

Lower earnings limit (LEL) is £79.00

 

I have tried inland revenue web site but it keeps crashing

 

I phoned employers helpline but they are not open until tomorrow (office hours).

 

thanks.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Peggy

I found this on the Inland revenue website - What to do if your employee is sick- is this what you were trying to find when it kept crashing?

 

http://www.ir.gov.uk/employers/employee_sick.htm#6d1

 

Carolyn

[Helen]

I don't think she is, Peggy. I was in a similar situation last year with one of my employees. The average weekly earnings need to be above £79 to qualify for SSP. She can apply for incapacity benefit, I believe.

I'll be paying SSP for the first time this term, and don't know how/if I can claim any of it back. Do you know?

[Guest]

Thanks carolyn, I was on that website trying to find form SSP1, could only find SSP1(L), if employee leaving

 

Helen, Thank you your comment has confirmed that I need to work out the average earnings over the last 8 weeks ( she changed from full time to 16 hrs plus we've had a half term break, WHAT A NIGHTMARE THIS ALL IS) to see if her avarage is under or over LEL.

 

I did pay SSP a few years ago, as a new employer I had a very helpful Inland Revenue lady come to my house to help me with end of year PAYE, she said, "Oh, you've paid out SSP, you can claim back......fiddle with calculator...£100,

Don't ask me how she came to that figure but I said thank you very much

 

In other words, yes I do think you can claim it back.

 

I intend to phone I.R. in the next few days, will give you any info, if I can understand them

 

 

I am also going to ask if the helpful lady can visit me again this year to help with end of year PAYE returns. According to my calculations I'm owed about £500 for Tax credits paid out to employees. But that's another story.

 

Thanks for your replies.

 

Peggy

[Helen]

Hi Peggy,

I haven't even come to the Tax Credits bridge yet, let alone crossed it

Good luck....it all takes so long, doesn't it?

[Lucy P]

Hi Helen

 

From what i can remember ~ please don't quote me on it , is that you find 13% of that months Class 1 N I bill (employee and employer) compare this to the amount of SSP paid, if the total SSP is higher than the 13% you can recover the difference.

 

I always seem to miss out or manage to recover something like £3.50

[Inge]

Lucy is correct,

 

i regularly have to sort this one out, but always have to go to the website to remind myself.

 

If she is over the LEL threashold you do not pay any SSP for the first 3 days these are a Qualifying period, however this does not apply if she is ill again within a specified period (cannot remember how soon at this time) in that case the Qualifying perid has already been served.

 

to recover you need

1 total SSp paid

2 You then have to calculate 13% of the total Ni payments due for period

3 Difference between 1 &2 is what you can recover from IRS

 

 

Tax credits are a nightmare. I have so far managed to get them paid direct to the person due. I just remind thm that to pay it I have to write to them and claim the money before I can make any payments. In addition as we are closed during the summer (sesional care) we have NO PAY in August and no wages are paid, so no tax credits will be paid. This all sounds too complicated to them and they have given in twice so far and pay direct!!

 

Inge

[Inge]

Forgot to say

 

I see that this is now included on the CD Rom form the IRS for next year, not looked yet but hope it is easier than now.

 

Inge

[Guest]

Thanks everyone,

 

I have worked out that my employees average earnings over the eight weeks prior to sickness are below LEL, so I think I am right in that I don't pay her SSP.

 

My problem with Tax credits is that all my staff have over the last year changed hours and are now under the NI / tax limits. (all bar one). I still get letters from the I.R. every month saying "We have not received your payment for month...."

 

3 of my staff have tax credits paid straight to their own accounts, but 1 doesn't.

 

Interestingly, as we are coming to the end of the financial year and all my staff have been with me for a whole year, I have compared earnings.

 

My deputy ( not entitled to T.C.) averaged 20 hrs p.w. over the year at a rate of £6.50 p.h. My assistant ( who has tax credits paid through PAYE) works 16 hrs pw @ minimum wage.

At the end of this year she will have received ( combination of wages and T.C.) £1,500 MORE THAN my deputy. How can this be right????

 

2 weeks ago my deputy asked to reduce her hours from 20 to 16 because then she could claim TC of £30 a week, more than I pay her for the 4 hrs difference.

 

As an employer I find it really difficult to maintain a coherent team spirit with all staff only working 16 hr weeks. I don't blame them though as they are financially better off.

 

Yes, people get out to work, but only part time ( still keeps the jobless figures down)

 

Off my soapbox now (warned you Tax credits was another story)

 

Peggy