I wouldn’t have been able to make the transition over a two year period from full time to agency without the period of tax credits.
I just couldn’t get a lot of work to start with at agency, despite joining several at once.
It wasn’t until well into my second year that the phone would ring at the end of one week - offering work all week for the next.
Of course, a lot of people in my position (offered voluntary redundancy) actually chickened out, because they feared going through this period of “paltry income” for what amounted to well over a year after they’d burned through any redundancy money they’d have got. (Remember: Redundancy cheque=NO UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS because you’re suddenly over the £16k savings threshold for starters!)
Tax credits made “bitty work” pay. They are quick to take them off you, once you get back to work proper though, and I totally disagreed with this notion that “Go back to work any other time than the first week of April” - and you’ll have to pay back any tax credits receieved between April to the time you started work full time that year… That, effectively turned that last part-financial year’s worth into a bloody loan comparable to student debt! 