surestart maternity grant and WFC/CTC application dilemma

twinnymum

hi all,

i recently gave birth to twins and turns out i am going to be a single parent for the forseeable future. Some details:

Last year I earned 24000. This year I will be earning no more than 10500 (fact!)I am currently making a claim for tax credits and I have had to put my previous years earnings down on the form. I understand that once my application has been processed I can then ammend it with this years income details.

My dilemma is this, should I wait until I have sort out my tax credits before I apply for the surestart grant as I dont think I will qualify based on last years earnings? Or, should I apply and let them know on the form?

Has anyone been in this situation at all or can enlighten me??

Thanks

knithappens

apply as soon as you get your new tax credits award as they use your national insurence number to check your tax credits award. As soon as you start getting your tax credits award ring them with your new estimate for this year, and then send off your Sure start maternity grant form, remember you can claim this until 3 months after babies are born. ( if you send it too soon or the details they have on you are not up to date they can refuse you)

kym86reeves

Hi,

I was in a similar situation when I had my twins in 2004, yes you do have to wait until the tax credits has been changed to your new income and then it you will be eligable, you will also get a grant for each baby!

Good Luck!

AsknAnswer

You have to be in receipt of the qualifying benefit (the right element/sum of Tax Credit) on the date of your Sure Start application to receive the Maternity Grant award. This is the date the application is received by the Social Fund.

If you are coming close to the three month after the birth time limit for the sure start, get the application in anyway. If tax credits have not sorted your claim out by the time the social fund assesses entitlement to the sure start, they will not be able to make an award, but they may be able to reconsider it once tax credit is in payment, but only if you receive the correct element and it has been backdated to or prior to the date of the sure start claim.

As for example, you had applied for Tax Credit (the correct element) on say 01/06/09 and the maternity grant on the same date, the maternity grant may be refused as Tax credits have not processed your application. Then on 21/06/09 you receive tax credit with the correct element/sum, and it has been backdated to 01/06/09. You could then ask for a "reconsideration" of the Sure Start (within one month of the decision), on the grounds that your tax credit award is now in payment and has been backdated to the date of your original sure start application. The decision would be overturned and you would receive the sure start.

*A reconsideration is not an appeal, and is far quicker than the appeals process.

twinnymum

thanks guys, any idea how long a tax credit application is taking to process these days?