Housing departure/maternity leave

bdt1

Hello, again

Just had a breakdown, eventually, from a 2006 assessment, which was triggered by my wife giving birth to our d/d, thus a new child in the NRP household.

Obvioulsy when my wife gave birth she was on maternity leave from work (only just , she left 1 week before baby arrived!), and so she remained on maternity leave for the following 7 months, until her return to work.

Now my question is that, in 2005 the PWC was awarded a departure with regard to housing allowance, and as my wife earned more than me, she was liable for 50% of our housing costs. SO..................

What happens for the period that she was on maternity leave, and in receipt only of SMP, after the inital 6 weeks or so that she started maternity leave, as obvioulsy for this period her wage was considerably less, and in fact was less than my wage?

My wife was earning approx £1,700 per month prior to maternity leave, if I remember rightly, her pay dropped to zero over the 1st 6 weeks of her maternity leave and then I think she received approx £300 per month in SMP only for the remainder of her leave. So, will CSA correct housing allowance for this period, and remove her income from protected section of ur CS1 assessment, or can anyone shed any light on what they advise I do next.

I'm assuming I need to appeal again, this will be appeal number 6 being dealt with at present if this is the case.

kelloggs36

have you asked them if they are revising the Departure?

bdt1

Not asked anything as yet, but will ask them to revise departure for the period my wife was on maternity leave, anything else I should be doing at this point?

Donedoingdebt

Won't the CSA state that you should have notified them of change of circumstances at the time?

That appears to be their usual mantra & they refuse to backdate anything before date of notification.

bdt1

They were informed of the birth of the baby and thus that my wife was on maternity leave, just they never asked for any verification of her earnings etc at the time, they just continued with the assessment with the 50% housing departure in place - dunno?????????????

kelloggs36

But did you state that her income had changed - a birth of a baby does not trigger an automatic reassessment other than that change in itself.