Refused Surestart Maternity Grant (£500!)

teambathmat

I wasnt entitled to it BEFORE I had my baby eg-39 weeks pregnant, but when I had given birth I was then entitled to CTC.......then I re-applied and I was given the £500.

Brodiebobs

i think teambathmat is right, my partner was unemployed at time of preganancy and we were refused, as i was still in work, but told to reapply when baby was born as we would be receiving tax credits, then we were given the full £500.
hope this helps.

devils_spawn

How would I find out if she is eligible for child tax credits?

bestpud

devils_spawn wrote: »

How would I find out if she is eligible for child tax credits?

She will be if she will be unemployed and relying on your IS claim.

Are you aware you may not be entitled to your IS?

bestpud

You can receive child tax credits with an income up to around £60k but you'd need more than the family element to receive the grant, and that would mean an income of less than around £20k. It's a bit more than that I think but that gives you a guide at least.

xmaslolly76

If she is on as low an income as you state then she will get child tax credits i think the thresh hold is something like 50K before you get nothing. once the baby is born get your tax credit claim in as long the amount awarded is more than £1095 for the twelve month period ( you would need to pro rata it out for any thing less than 12 months) you should be able to claim the sure start grant. :-)

PS. go to the direct.gov website there are links there for the tax credit calculator

AsknAnswer

When you say the DWP know you live together, can you clarify? Do Income Support know that you live together and are you claiming as partners?

If not then they were right to refuse - you don't both need to be receiving the benefit BUT the claim for Income Support must be a joint claim. i.e; you are the claimant and you receive the money, and it is you that they deal with but she is named as a joint claimant on your Income Support. If she is not named as a joint claimant/partner then you will not be recognised as "partners" hence why you would have been turned down for the grant. You will be the claimant and will be the person named on all correspodence ect but she should be on the records as a partner. If she is then you should not have been turned down.

Ring Income Support on Monday to see if your partner is named on your claim and registered on the computer system as your partner. If she is, then ring the Social Fund office and ask for a "reconsideration" of the maternity grant claim. Ask them to liaise with the IS section to confirm that your partner is, your partner.

As Income Support is a means tested benefit, no matter the reason for your claim, all household income must be taken into account for the calculation, so if when you claimed Income Support she was living with you as a partner and this was declared by you, it is nigh on impossible for her not to be a part of your IS claim, albiet as a joint claimant. The only way you can be a sole claimant and not have her as a part of your IS claim is if she was not declared as a partner.

For a guide to tax credit eligibility, pop onto the site "entitledto", and enter your circumstances and figures. It will give an idea but it is only a rough guide.

By what you have said, I am thinking that you are not actually entitled to rhe income support you have been receiving; I am thinking either your partner is undeclared or Income Support made a rather large boo-boo by not including her in your claim. They may know you live in the same house, but do they know you live in the same household as partners?

You, your parents and your girlfriend all live in the same house, yes?

MamTor13

When you made your claim for income support were your partner's details, i.e. income, hours of work etc. included in that claim? If not then you are a single claimant and because you're not pregnant can't get the grant, your partner won't get it as she will not have a claim for income support for herself or under your claim to qualify. Although, I'm struggling to see how the DWP are not viewing you as partners considering you live together and she's pregnant. Devils-spawn, I know it looks like people are not helping you but they are, just because you view yourself as partners does not mean the DWP see you that way, especially if you have never told them or had your partner's income included on your claim. The rule regarding just one partner having to be in receipt of a certain benefit is there to protect the woman if the 'joint' claim is not in her name, what it doesn't mean is that she does not have to be included on the partner's claim to qualify. If she was included on your original claim (hours of work, income, savings etc) then she should qualify as you will have been assessed financially as a couple. When you made your claim for Income Support were you living together and did you put her details on the form? If you weren't living together did you inform the DWP when your circumstances changed? If not you could owe quite a bit of Income Support back.

caroline83

I also read on the jobcentre plus website that you are entitled to the surestart maternity grant if either you or your partner is on IS or JSA.

This makes it look as if you can apply if just one of you is claming,is this not the case then?

real1314

caroline83 wrote: »

I also read on the jobcentre plus website that you are entitled to the surestart maternity grant if either you or your partner is on IS or JSA.

This makes it look as if you can apply if just one of you is claming,is this not the case then?

IS must be a claim for you and your partner if you have one. It cannot be claimed on an individual basis.

The "You or your partner" means that either could be the Income Support claimant, but would also require that the claim has been made for both people.