Sure Start Grant

wotnext

I need advice on the sure start grant of £500. How do you know if you're entitled to it? I'm under the impression that I'm not as I'm getting the basic family element and have just had a baby, so have just been awarded the under one year extra payment too.

bestpud

Yes, you are correct, you are only eligible if you receive more than the family element of ctc.

It only needs to be a tiny fraction more though, so do check to make sure you aren't getting even a few pounds above that.

Congratulations btw!

scotty1971

hope this dosen't sound a daft question but what is the family element,i get child tax credit,but don't get any working tax credit,would we qualify for this grant?

bestpud

scotty1971 wrote: »

hope this dosen't sound a daft question but what is the family element,i get child tax credit,but don't get any working tax credit,would we qualify for this grant?

The family element is the £545 per year (may be a few ounds higher now, I believe?) basic ctc - works out at £10 a week, or £20 for the first year.

Every family on less than £50/60k per year gets that and then lower income families get more ctc added, and very low income families get wtc too.

If you get even a pound more than the family element then you can claim the maternity, or surestart grant. It is a one off non-repayable grant of £500 to help with the costs of buying baby items etc.

You can claim it from 26 (or 28 - I can never remember) weeks into the pregnancy or up to 12 weeks after the baby is born.

Sorry if I am insulting your intelligence with some of that explanation - I'm not sure how much you already know!

alwaysonthego_2

bestpud wrote: »

You can claim it from 26 (or 28 - I can never remember) weeks into the pregnancy or up to 12 weeks after the baby is born.

it is 29 weeks you can claim it from

Auzelia

this is the rate of CTC for this tax year (including last tax year)

Child Tax Credit - £ per year (unless stated)

Rates and Thresholds

2007-08

2008-09

Child Tax Credit Family element

£545
£545

Family element, baby addition

£545
£545

Child element

£1,845
£2,085

Disabled child element

£2,440
£2,540

Severely disabled child element

£980
£1,020


taken from here http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/RATES/taxcredits.htm

So you would need to receive even just a penny over the £545. To be able to claim Sure start grant x

scotty1971

just checked we get £547.50 looks like we can claim it:j

happymumto2

I think you need to get above £548 a year, or £1095 with a child under 1 in order to claim.

poppielia

Hi on my workingtax/child tax forms it says i get 547 basic family element but i also get child element and working tax......does that sound like i may be entitled too? i didnt think i was so am gonna be pleasantly suprised if i am entitled. thanks and sorry for gatecrashing!

Verianna

happymumto2 wrote: »

I think you need to get above £548 a year, or £1095 with a child under 1 in order to claim.

This is correct :T

scotty1971

according to the thresholds ant rates as above it's £545