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Maternity Allowance+ WTC + DLA + CA

My question is in regards to my difficult family situation.
My wife since 20/04 is receiving Maternity Allowance - £130.
On 24/04 childbirth caused her severe mental illness .
I`ve stopped working due my wife mental breakdown on 01/05. I was hoping we can still continue to receive Working Tax Credit as she is still classed as employed whilst on maternity. She is not working and I`m not because illness of my wife + new baby, so physically I couldn`t do it.
In addition she is an inpatient in Hospital since begining of June and she is awarded since begining of July with Lower Rate Mobility + Highest Rate Care DLA. I was awarded as well with Carer Allowance.
Are we still entitled to receive Working Tax Credit whilst my wife on Maternity Allowance and we both not working?
It sounds complicated but my life is upside down at the moment, mortgage and all bills still to pay, I have 2 bodies to look after so it`s not easy with the finance. I do appreciate for every comment.
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Comments

  • Icequeen99
    Icequeen99 Posts: 3,775 Forumite
    How many hours was your wife working before she went on maternity leave?

    IQ
  • If your wife is receiving DLA and is in hospital, you should inform the DLA office, as it isn't payable once she has been an in-patient for a certain amount of time (I think it is 28 days). You could end up with an over payment and have to pay it back.

    Have you applied for child benefit and child tax credits?

    If you rent, you might be able to get housing benefit. You may also get some council tax benefit.

    These should help your financial situation, but I appreciate that it is more paperwork and can be time consuming at an already busy time.

    I do hope that things improve for you soon x
  • pmlindyloo
    pmlindyloo Posts: 13,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    benji_boy wrote: »
    My question is in regards to my difficult family situation.
    My wife since 20/04 is receiving Maternity Allowance - £130.
    On 24/04 childbirth caused her severe mental illness .
    I`ve stopped working due my wife mental breakdown on 01/05. I was hoping we can still continue to receive Working Tax Credit as she is still classed as employed whilst on maternity. She is not working and I`m not because illness of my wife + new baby, so physically I couldn`t do it.
    In addition she is an inpatient in Hospital since begining of June and she is awarded since begining of July with Lower Rate Mobility + Highest Rate Care DLA. I was awarded as well with Carer Allowance.
    Are we still entitled to receive Working Tax Credit whilst my wife on Maternity Allowance and we both not working?
    It sounds complicated but my life is upside down at the moment, mortgage and all bills still to pay, I have 2 bodies to look after so it`s not easy with the finance. I do appreciate for every comment.


    You need to inform the tax credits office about your change of circumstances.

    In general terms your wife is counted as working for the purposes of working tax credits while she is on the first 39 weeks of maternity leave. If she took the remaining 13 weeks of unpaid leave then during this time she would not be classed as working.

    To receive working tax credits when you have a child you need to be working 24 hours a week between you with one person doing at least 16 hours. So if your wife was doing at least 24 hours then even though you have stopped working you can still claim working tax credits.

    As you now have a child you can claim Child Benefit and Child Tax credits as well.

    Your case is a little complicated so it is very difficult to be more precise.

    You should telephone the tax credits office and explain what has happened.

    If you can get to a CAB they would be able to help you with making sure that you apply for all the benefits you are eligible for.

    You could try to put your details into the benefit calculator on https://www.turn2us.org.uk . You would probably need to do the two different scenarios - while your wife is on paid maternity leave and when she isn't.

    I am so sorry to hear about all your problems and wish your wife a speedy recovery.
  • If your wife is receiving DLA and is in hospital, you should inform the DLA office, as it isn't payable once she has been an in-patient for a certain amount of time (I think it is 28 days). You could end up with an over payment and have to pay it back.
    I `ve just wrote she is awarded with DLA but we didn`t received any money yet as she is still an inpatient.
    pmlindyloo wrote: »

    In general terms your wife is counted as working for the purposes of working tax credits while she is on the first 39 weeks of maternity leave. If she took the remaining 13 weeks of unpaid leave then during this time she would not be classed as working.
    Just before she went on maternity leave she was on ESA contribution- based for few weeks and working just beforehand 33 hours per week. My understanding was she can still be treated as a working person if she was on ESA as you can carry on claiming Working Tax Credit for the first 28 weeks that you're off work.


    We claim already Child Benefit and not allowed for Housing Benefit as we on mortgage.
  • benji_boy
    benji_boy Posts: 17 Forumite
    1 more question,
    am I entitled to get Working Tax Credit working 35 hours as a carer and receiving Carers Allowance?
  • pmlindyloo
    pmlindyloo Posts: 13,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    benji_boy wrote: »
    1 more question,
    am I entitled to get Working Tax Credit working 35 hours as a carer and receiving Carers Allowance?


    No, you personally won't be entitled to working tax credit as a carer but with a joint claim you will be entitled to working tax credits whilst your partner is on the 39 weeks maternity leave

    I really urge you to contact tax credits. You need to notify them within one month of your change of circumstances.
  • skintmacflint
    skintmacflint Posts: 1,083 Forumite
    Can OP get some help with mortgage interest payments in time?. Obviously this will be a big worry at this time.

    Sorry I can't advise but there are many knowlegeable people on this forum who can.

    Sorry to hear of your situtation and hope things improve in time.
  • pmlindyloo
    pmlindyloo Posts: 13,073 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Can OP get some help with mortgage interest payments in time?. Obviously this will be a big worry at this time.

    Sorry I can't advise but there are many knowlegeable people on this forum who can.

    Sorry to hear of your situtation and hope things improve in time.


    When the OP's partner finishes her maternity allowance then the whole scenario will change.

    It is difficult to say what benefits they both will be eligible for because we do not know whether OP's partner will need the OP as her carer or not. Hopefully she will make a full recovery.

    There are lots of different possibilities, some of which could mean that they may well be entitled to SMI (after the 13 weeks), for example if they made a joint claim for IS.

    Since this is some way down the line then the OP's best option, if he cannot afford the repayments, is to contact his mortgage lender and see what options they suggest. They may agree to a mortgage holiday, reduced payments, extend the length of the term. In the circumstances they should be accommodating.
  • benji_boy
    benji_boy Posts: 17 Forumite
    pmlindyloo wrote: »

    I really urge you to contact tax credits. You need to notify them within one month of your change of circumstances.
    I`ve done it. Hopefully they will not penalise me for late notification . I fully explained my situation to them.
    Could you please tell what the OP is?
  • skibadee
    skibadee Posts: 1,304 Forumite
    OP = Original Poster.......as in you.

    Hope things are better for you all soon .
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