Question on what to do with a small amount of self employed income

mondeo

Last year I claimed unemployment benefit for a few months (3 and half months) whilst being unemployed. However I stopped claiming when i started to work as a courier.
I never went up the social welfare offices and told them I started a job and they cut me off as I stopped signing on which was grand. The past 6 months or so I have only been working part time therefore not earning enough to be paying tax..just given a cheque by employer. I am also doing a computer course (home study) since I started the courier position. However I'm not working again at the moment and thereofore want to go back on the social welfare until I get myself a permanent job.

My problem is that if I go up to sign on again and they ask me what I have been doing the past six months what exacly do I say? Baring in mind I have only been earning maybe 200-260 pw (which is not taxable because of the small amount I was earning at least as far as I know it was not taxable) whilst doing my computer course. I'm worried incase they turn around and say to me HEY! you should have been paying tax and end up walking out with a tax bill on my head or worse.. I'm very confused about this situation and quite put off about visiting my social welfare office incase I end up
walking out in dept.

Any advice would be helpful, thanking you

Tomasso

I presume that you were paid in cash then?

I'm open to correction here but,I wouldn't worry about it.
If your income earned is less than your annual tax credits then you couldn't owe tax.
€250 a week is well less than the minimum wage if I'm thinking correctly so all you have to do is tell them you got that amount by working on contract and just declare it in the normal way.
Show them bank statements if necessary or some evidence of this and details or evidence of your computer course.
The should be looking favourably on you actually in my opinion.

Ask them nicely if you made a mistake not telling them that you wouldn't be signing on any more,thats all you need say on that.

mondeo

what is the maximum amount you can earn before you pay tax anyways?
I really dont have a clue to be honest. I stopped claiming social welfare there back in November 07.

yes i was paid in cash, i was to self asses my tax's which I never actually did with the small amount i was earning

Ah you are ok if you only started to get paid this cash in November '07.
You are still within the timeframe required to account for this.
I'll make a copy of this thread for you in the relevant forum and they will answer your question on that aspect.
To the best of my knowledge though you haven't broke any law yet.

I'll let the more knowledgeable in the state benefits forum deal with your original query.

I'll edit this post in a moment with a link to the copy of the thread sent over to the accountancy forum.

mondeo

Im going up thursday morning and see what they have to say,

Thanks for the info lad