Kinship carers allowances

Savvy_sewing

Hello, I was wondering if anybody can tell me what i may be entitled to claim, now that I am to be getting Kinship carers allowance, (unknown amount at the moment).

I have been on Employment Support Allowance due to ill health since last January.
I am now caring for my granddaughter, aged 2,.
Am I entititled to Child Benefits?
should I be getting anyother benefits?

There is now only myself and my granddaughter.

I did ring the Social services department, I have been dealing with but they didnt know and told me to contact Welfare Rights, but thats not answering at the moment.

I am trying to fill in my letter to post my change of circumstances to my counil for Housingbenefit and Council Tax benefit as well, so they need to know what my income is going to be.

Thankyou

DX2

You need to claim child benefit and child tax credits.

Savvy_sewing

DX2 wrote: »

You need to claim child benefit and child tax credits.

Ok thanks very much. Had sent off for them but not heard, and that was before they said I can get Kinship.
Great news. My ESA has been stretched to the limits of late.

DX2

Mooloo wrote: »

Ok thanks very much. Had sent off for them but not heard, and that was before they said I can get Kinship.
Great news. My ESA has been stretched to the limits of late.

It may take some time I'm afraid. Hopefully the Kinship payments will come through asap.

Savvy_sewing

its taken me 17 weeks to fight the Social Services to fund us, and we are still waiting for that to come through. They dont even tell me how much that is?
Believe it can vary from County to county but not sure. They told me to go to Welfare Rights but I couldnt get through.
I had to get my MP involved to get that acknowledgement.

Prudent

Kinship allowance is £179 per week in my area. I hope everything is quickly sorted for you

karenx

Are you the parental guardian for your granddaughter now?

MOLLY_09

Social services are a nightmare advise take a look at the Rights for Grandparents web site.Good Luck

Savvy_sewing

I dont think I have guardianship, i think I have to go to court for that.

I will look up the Grandparents site. Thanks very much.

If we were to get £179 a week, I would be over the moon, as we could do so much with her for that!.But knowing our council I bet its not!! I shall wait and see I suppose.

Savvy_sewing

Prudent wrote: »

Kinship allowance is £179 per week in my area. I hope everything is quickly sorted for you

Hello,
Well I have now recieved a letter telling me how much it is. Here it is £133.84 a week. until they are 11.
But still no start date. But I suppose we are getting somewhere.

have put in my claims for Childbenefit, but still had no reply.

We will just have to wait.:o

Savvy_sewing

Well update.
I have recieved my funding at last. They have back dated it too.

Still no sign of the child benefit though.
Did get a form about Healthy start vouchers for DGD though. So I will fill it in and see if we fit into the right criteria.