Sure Start Maternity Grant?

Thisisforthekids

Hi,

Was just wondering what people's success rate was at gaining this grant?

We are about to have our second child, I work full time my partner works part time, we earn about £28000 in total.

We do not recieve any of the benifits listed apart from the child tax credit at higher then the family rate.

The reason I ask is that we were unsuccesful obtaining this grant with our first child and was not even going to claim this time, until we were told the other day, by a friend of a friend that they got this grant and they both worked full time, has the criteria changed?.

Thanks in advance for any help.

tweetyshells

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Expectingorbringingupchildren/DG_10018854 this tells you if you are able to get it

Thisisforthekids

Hi Tweety,

Thanks for that link, I have done all the research into the matter and according to what it says, we should get it.

My question was has the criteria changed as we were unsuccesfull with our first born and also the point was to see if anyone in a similar situation to me obtained this.

Thanks

alwaysonthego_2

You need to be getting more more than the family element of CTC to get the STMG the criteria has not changed. The baby element is not included so if you get that and just the family element you will not qualify.

AsknAnswer

The regulations were last updated in 2005. If you are receving the child element at a rate higher than £548.00 for the tax year you will qualify. After the baby is born you will need to be receiving the child element at a rate higher than £1095.00 for the tax year to qualify.

In other words the rate needs to be the child element of child tax credit on its own rather than inclusive of all the elements of child tax credit, which is made up of several elements.

flea72

i dont think you got above basic rate, with an income of £28k, so you prob arent entitled at present

however, once baby arrives, and your partners income drops to SMP, this is when you should apply, as your income should then take you below the cut-off point

you have 3m from the birth, to apply

Flea

Thisisforthekids

So let me see if I get this right, at the moment we recieve about £1560 a year but that is what the total is now my other half is pregnant on maternity leave, before this it was pretty close to the £548 not sure maybe just higher.

Is the fact that she is on maternity leave included in the child element or is this attached to the baby element, very confusing!!

Thisisforthekids

flea72 wrote: »

i dont think you got above basic rate, with an income of £28k, so you prob arent entitled at present

however, once baby arrives, and your partners income drops to SMP, this is when you should apply, as your income should then take you below the cut-off point

you have 3m from the birth, to apply

Flea

Thanks flea,

She is now on smp so I guess we should just apply and see what happens.
Why do they have to make this so confusing?

AsknAnswer

Is the fact that she is on maternity leave included in the child element or is this attached to the baby element, very confusing!!

It is part of the income figure. There is no baby element at the moment, unless your son is under 12 months. The baby element comes into play after the baby is born and continues until baby is 12 months old.

1. I assume she is seeing a health professional in regard to her pregnancy?

May seem a silly question, but it is also a condition of claim. Some people don't agree with medical intervention during pregnancy as it is a natural matter rather than medical and choose not to see any health professional during their pregnancy. They do not qualify for the grant.

2. In addition she will need to be in the 29th week of pregnancy or further in order to apply (You can apply from 11 weeks before the expected week of confinement up to three months after the birth).

3. Does your child have a disability?

If the answers are as follows:
1. yes
2. yes
3. no
And you haven't included working tax credit in the figure of £1560 then apply for the sure start, as I would *think* given that information that you only just qualify for the grant, based upon the elements that CTC is made up of. The worst that will happen is you won't qualify but without actually seeing your tax credit award I couldn't tell you if you qualify.

ShaShaSha

Not sure on the criteria for the sure start maternity grant,but you can get the health in pregnancy grant of £190 when u are 25 weeks pregnant

Who can get Health in Pregnancy Grant?

You can get the grant if all of the following apply:

• you are 25 weeks pregnant or more
• your expected date of delivery is on or after 6 April 2009
• you have been given health advice from a midwife or doctor

you may not get the grant if:

• you are subject to immigration control or
• you are not present, ordinarily resident or have a right to reside in the UK

Good luck with ur pregnancy

flea72

Thisisforthekids wrote: »

So let me see if I get this right, at the moment we recieve about £1560 a year but that is what the total is now my other half is pregnant on maternity leave, before this it was pretty close to the £548 not sure maybe just higher.

Is the fact that she is on maternity leave included in the child element or is this attached to the baby element, very confusing!!

so you have already informed tax credits about your reduced income, due to partner being on mat leave?

with two parents working and bringing in £28k, to be getting the amounts of CTC that you state, your oldest child must be under 1 or disabled?

If that is the case, then you should have no problem applying as soon as your partner hits the 29th week

Flea