Child Tax Credits and Child Benefit

Flower08

Hi, just wondered if someone who has been through this process of applying for CTC and CB could tell me how easy the process was for them

OH and I already get working tax credits, so when baby is born do we just ring up and report change in circumstances? Or do we need to do a complete new claim for baby? Also does anyone know how long it will take to be sorted and do I need a child benefit number before I can do this?

Sorry lots of questions, but am really starting to stress about how long it is going to take to sort out child benefit and child tax credits. I know it will be backdated but we need it ASAP really as money is very very tight after being signed off work through this pregnancy

BrettMorganxD

Flower08 wrote: »

Hi, just wondered if someone who has been through this process of applying for CTC and CB could tell me how easy the process was for them

OH and I already get working tax credits, so when baby is born do we just ring up and report change in circumstances? Or do we need to do a complete new claim for baby? Also does anyone know how long it will take to be sorted and do I need a child benefit number before I can do this?

Sorry lots of questions, but am really starting to stress about how long it is going to take to sort out child benefit and child tax credits. I know it will be backdated but we need it ASAP really as money is very very tight after being signed off work through this pregnancy

You will get a CB application form in your bountry pack as soon as your baby is born.

For child tax credit, I am not 100% sure but I assume you will have to make a new claim, as you will be claiming child tax credit not working tax credit.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Fiver29

You can't claim CB until the baby has been registered. They didn't have CTC when mine were born, but I imagine that'd be the same.

BrettMorganxD

Fiver29 wrote: »

You can't claim CB until the baby has been registered. They didn't have CTC when mine were born, but I imagine that'd be the same.

Yes that is true, although they will backdate all benefits to the day the baby was born

mik0m

If you getting working tax credit just contact the helpline when the baby is born no need to make a new claim..you may have to provide the b/c at some point but they understand that this has often been sent to child benefit office

Flower08

Thank you everyone

LL30

Yup, register child and send off for child benefit. Once that's done, their systems can talk, and you can get CTC - but not before. Also, have you updated your WTC claim for this year? You minus £100 for every month you are on SMP and don't count any income if you're on MA. I was signed off from 22 wks, so I feel your pain. But the maternity pay disregard made a huge difference to my tax credits x

Flower08

Just thought I would update incase anyone else ever searches for this - might be of some help to someone!

Baby was born on 07/10/2011, I rang up tax credits a week after he was born. As we already got WTC, the claim for CTC just went through as a change in circumstance. I didnt need a CB number (we hadnt even registered his birth at this point).
We started getting our CTC within 10 days.

CB was sent off for and took 13 days to be sorted.

We also applied for Sure Start Maternity Grant and this took 8 days to come through.

So all in all very simple process and it all came through pretty quickly!

jojo_2012_2

^^ thats wonderful to hear