Entitled to on Mat leave?

vodkagirl001

I know I need to ring the relevant offices to get the forms and get the exact amounts etc but can anyone confirm the follwing for me?

Me and my partner both full time workers - combined income of just under £40k before Tax etc. I will be taking mat leave for 9 month (as baby due after 1st April) before returning to work.

I think I should be entitled to the following - hoping someone can confirm before I ring up and sit in a que to talk to someone for an hour only to be told im not entitled lol

Stat Mat Pay - £108 P/W (before Tax :eek: ) for 9 months (I know this one is a cert)
Working Family Tax Credits - No idea of figure but will it be more when Im on SMP then decrease when Im back at work or be the same amount the whole time - even so Im thinking its a low amount I will get
Child Tax Credit - Approx £17 per week I think???

I'm pretty sure thats all I will be entitled to (:eek: ) Good job we have been saving to subsidise the loss in wages lol - can anyne confirm it for me?

Also do I have to ring someone for the WTC and then the CTC seperatley or are they all classed as one? and do I have to apply before the birth or wait untill the LO is born>?

RibenaBerry_2

Don't know about benefits I'm afraid. A couple of things on the maternity pay:

- Maternity leave is actually a year, it's just that the last bit is totally unpaid. I assume that someone has explained that?

- Statutory maternity pay is actually 90% of your full earnings for the first six weeks. It then drops, as you say, to £108 pw before tax. The good news is that, because most of your maternity leave falls at the start of the new tax year, you won't be hit as badly by tax as you otherwise would be.

Sorry, sure someone else will know about benefits.

slscarborough

Vodka girl - are you currently receiving working/child tax credits as the moment? Also what is your partners income as that is what they will use to work out benefits as maternity pay is exempt. Also as tax credits run from april to march it all depends on when you go back to work as you have to estimate your combined income for the coming tax year otherwise you will end up owing them money. You may also be entitled to a sure start maternity grant of £500.00 when you drop to one income.

Becles

You sound a bit mixed up there!

I think what has been said about SMP is right.

It's Child Benefit that is approx £17 a week. It's going up to £18.10 a week after April. You can claim this as soon as baby arrives. There's usually a claim pack in the Bounty pack you get in hospital.

You'll probably not get Working Tax Credits, as your household income needs to be under approx £15K to claim this.

You will get Child Tax Credits, but the amount depends on how much you earn. Have a play with the calculator on www.entitledto.co.uk for a rough idea. You can do figures for while you are on SMP, then figures for when you go back to work.

I think you might get the Child Tax Credit form in the Bounty Pack, but I'm not sure. If not, you can look up the claims helpline number on www.hmrc.gov.uk along with other information about Tax Credits. Again you can't claim until baby arrives.

You'll also get a £250 voucher to put in an Child Trust Fund investment product of your choice, but baby can't touch this until (s)he is 18.

slscarborough

Also you apply to HM customs and exise for both working tax and child tax (you can apply onilne). The sure start grant you will need to get an application form from the job centre but you will have to wait until you are getting the child tax credits to apply. You will need to apply after the baby is born.

lyns_2

Found this out myself last week that whilst on maternity leave £100 a week of you smp is disregarded on tax credit so for me it is £2600 so i am being classed as earning £44 a week so may be entilted to more money

vodkagirl001

Right thanks for the Info Guys/Gals

- Re the SMP - I did know its a year but only 9 months paid and 6 weeks at 90% before it drops peroperly but Im basing it on the lowest amount I will receive, thanks for the info though.

Im not entitled to Sure start Mat Grat, Ive already looked in to that.

Thanks for the info on the other credits. Ill ring the relevant lines to get the figures

Gambler

Have we missed out here as I thought you could only claim tax credits if you were paying childcare. Our son is now 9 months old and mum has decided not to return to work.

MJMum

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Zara33

Gambler wrote:

Have we missed out here as I thought you could only claim tax credits if you were paying childcare. Our son is now 9 months old and mum has decided not to return to work.

You may be entitled to child tax credits/wtc if you have a low income. I would certainly apply they can only say no.

Becles

Gambler wrote:

Have we missed out here as I thought you could only claim tax credits if you were paying childcare. Our son is now 9 months old and mum has decided not to return to work.

There's 3 different elements to it.

Working Tax Credits if you are earning less than approx £15K, and working more than 16 hours a week.

Child Tax Credits, payable to anyone with a child and earning under approx £54K. There are some rules for new babies, where you get double for the first year, and I think the entitlement level is slightly higher.

Childcare Element - payable for working parents with childcare costs. However as your wife is staying home, you'll not be entitled to this.

You should be entitled to Child Tax Credits if your income is under £54K, and possibly Working Tax Credits if you are on a low wage.

Pop your salary into www.entitledto.co.uk and it will give you a rough idea of what you should be getting.