Are we entitled to any other benefits?

lloydlf

Hi I'm wondering of anyone could help me work out if I'm entitled to claim any other benefits. I've just found out I'm pregnant with my fourth child. My husband works full time and I'm a SAHM. Husband's annual income is approx 12.5K so we've just claimed CTC and WTC, and been awarded both. We also get child benefit. We're in the process of applying for Housing benefit and council tax benefit too. We're totally new to the world of claiming benefits, ther than child benefit, so have no idea if we're claiming everything we are entitled to. I have heard about a maternity grant and possibly a free vitamins,fruit and veg scheme?

Any help gratefully received

cw18

The fruit/veg scheme is only for non-working people on Income Support and with a child under 5 as best I'm aware. My daughter has a 3 year-old, but lost her vouchers when she started work a few months back just before her daughter's 3rd birthday (all she gets apart from her salary are Tax Credits though, so I could be wrong)

Did a quick Google and found this

bestpud

Welcome to mse!

You will qualify for the £500 maternity grant.

You can get the form from you midwife or doctor (they have to fill a bit in and sign it and you send it off to the relevent agency - or this is how it was done in 2001 anyway!) and apply from 29(?) weeks into your pregnancy and up until 12 weeks(?) after the birth.

I'm not 100% certain if the dates but that is roughly it.

You won't be automatically entitled to anything else (such as the free vits and free school meals), I don't think, as you receive wtc.

Have you asked them to backdate your tax credits? As I understand it, they may do this by up to 12 weeks if you ask. You have been entitled to it for a long time unless your income has recently dropped significantly.

alwaysonthego_2

Best Spud is correct you can claim the sure start matenrity grant from being 29 weeks pregnant until the baby reaches 3 months old.

lloydlf

Just wanted to say thank you for the fab advice and sorry for the delay in replying.

debnlee_2

i am to in the process of claiming the sure start grant ,but just to let you know incase you dont already know , yes you can claim it because your on tax credits but only if the child elememt to your tax credits is higher then your working tax credits. free school meals , prescriptions etc depend on your income, my income and my hubbys income comes to £15,132 a year (+ tc + wtc) weve got 2 kids (and another due in 13wks) and we claim the free prescriptions and the free milk when bubs is here but no free meals , no ct or rent rebate. have you tried the website "entitled to" brill site put all your details in and it will tell you what you can claim including how much council tax etc you should get. hope this helps.