Trouble with sure start maternity grant..

SandA

Hello

I recently applied for the sure start maternity grant, I sent of the form when I was awaiting a decision from tax credits. It has the option to tick that on the form and it said on the website to still send the form in if you are awaiting decision, so to automatically reject any claims who are waiting seems stupid. Predictably, my claim has been declined, however this is where it gets confusing.

I applied on my own behalf, using my own details, ticked 'no' to applying on behalf of someone else etc.. filled in the form properly and even had it double checked by HV.. however today my mother gets a letter through stating that the 'claim she made on my behalf had been declined'.. what? none of my mothers details where put on the form, not even her name. She doesn't even live at the same address as me :question: I really do not know why the decision letter regarding a claim i made was sent and addressed to my mother.

Funnily enough, the letter is dated September 6th, and I got my first tax credit payment the 7th.

I don't know whether to just completely re-apply, because the whole mother applying on my behalf seems like its going to cause nothing but problems in the appeal process as the person who has reviewed my form has obviously made a huge mistake. The other problem however is that I don't see my health visitor for another 3 weeks for her to fill in her part of the form, and due to the deadline I'm concerned i'm going to miss out all together.

Not really sure what to do, as I no with the DWP once a mistakes been made it seems that its never corrected.

Is it possible that I can ring them and inform that they've made an error and my form gets re-evaluated, and now that i'm in receipt of tax credits I will get the grant without having to appeal / re-apply.. or will I have to re-apply anyway because when they reviewed the form I wasn't getting tax credits?

Thanks

LL30

Oh dear, sorry you did end up running into trouble! Keep everything in writing - phone calls are easily denied.

Fill in the GL24 appeal form and attach a clear letter (they're piddly little things those forms are). Take a photocopy of the letter your Mum got and attach that. And print out your bank statement showing you now get tax credits. I'd bullet point it:

- I was turned down because I wasn't receiving tax credits. Please see attached bank statement to show I now am in receipt of tax credits (or your award notice? have you got it yet? Make sure you keep a copy for yourself either way).

- Therefore I would like to appeal the decision made as I now satisfy the criteria.

- Please also see attached the letter that was addressed to my Mother dated ../../.. There has obviously been an error made as my Mother has not applied for the SSMG for me.

You could make a big song and dance about the mistake they made with regards to contacting your Mum, but tbh, they won't be bothered and it's best to stick with the task in hand - especially with a new born!

Send the letter recorded delivery. Ring them up a couple of days after to check they've got it and ask them to make a note on the system that you rang up also.

Bleeding faff it is!

clairec79

This may sound daft - but your mother didn't apply AS WELL on your behalf did she? As that would then make sense, they can't pay it to her for you as they are paying it, correctly, to you direct

If your mothers details weren't anywhere on the form how could they know them to send her the letter

SandA

Thank you, ive spoken to them today and they have no idea why my mother received the letter. She agreed that I had not put her down as an appointee and got my details up on screen and she seemed quite baffled as to why. She emailed over to a department to solve the problem. Luckily as tax credits have been backdated, they are just doing a 'reconsideration' of my existing claim, so I dont need to appeal or re-apply. Hoping it doesn't take too long, does anyone know? Ive kept note of the time I've rang them just incase I run into further issues.

And no, mother did not apply on my behalf, lol!

cheers x

LL30

*shock horror* They don't know how it happened! Why am I not surprised? Glad they're doing a straightforward reconsideration though. I'd be very tempted just to knock off a quick letter saying 'just to confirm the conversation today with *insert name* at *time*' I know it sounds ridiculous, and I know it's time consuming, but I don't ever rely on just phone calls now. I had a dispute once and even sent my BT phone bill in to show them when I'd called them

Glad you're on the way to getting sorted xx