Please help benifits advice desperatly needed

the3musketeers

Hi
I am currently on maternity leave with my 11 weeks old little boy, my husband started a new job 2 months ago and has found the company and people he works with are not what he expected, without going into to much detail he has now been signed off with stress/depression and high blood pressure so he will only receive SSP, what we need to know is there anything else we can claim while we are only recieving this. I would return to work early from maternity but i can't leave my husband to look after a 11 week old with the state he is in at the momment (he called my son by a different name yesterday, forgets where he is and what he doing, just for a few examples) and we have no family and friends who can help. Thanks in advance

sniggings

Sorry I'm not sure but will post this so at least you get a bump.

Maybe income support, or wtc or CTC.

(maybe best get used to calling the baby "our" baby and not "my")

LittleMax

Yes, income support and if you rent housing benefit or if you have a mortgage you should be able to claim support for the mortgage interest. You will claim this with income support. How much you get will depend on how much you are being paid from your job, but as your maternity pay drops your income support will increase.

terryw

I don't think that you fit the criteria for income support. Here's a link:
https://www.gov.uk/income-support/eligibility

Housing Benefit/LHA and Council Tax Benefit are purely means tested so you are probably entitled - apply at the local council.

Morglin

As your husband is on sick leave, and getting SSP, you can use the government's benefit enquiry line, for anyone sick and disabled, to go through with you anything you might be able to claim.

They don't have access to your records, but are pretty good, and will send any forms you may need:

"The Benefit Enquiry Line (BEL) is a benefits helpline for people with disabilities, carers and representatives. BEL is part of the Department for Work and Pensions. They offer confidential advice and information on benefits and how to claim them. In addition to giving advice they are also able to send out an extensive range of leaflets and claim packs to customers. As a national service they serve the whole of England, Scotland and Wales.

The advisers have no access to customer's personal records and are able to provide general advice only. The advisers are trained in Social Security benefits, the most common benefits they provide advice on are those relating to sickness and disability ie Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Statutory Sick Pay, and Income Support. BEL also provides help to complete certain disability-related claim packs over the telephone"

Tel:
Helpline (voice): 0800 882200 Helpline (text): 0800 243355 Telephone: 8.30am - 6.30pm, Monday - Friday; 9am - 1pm, Saturday

http://www.patient.co.uk/support/Benefit-Enquiry-Line.htm

Lin

LittleMax

terryw wrote: »

I don't think that you fit the criteria for income support. Here's a link:
https://www.gov.uk/income-support/eligibility

Housing Benefit/LHA and Council Tax Benefit are purely means tested so you are probably entitled - apply at the local council.

It will be income support as partner is claiming SSP and OP is unable to claim JSA as she is not seeking work, and with an 11 week old baby we do not expect someone to. How much will depend on what pay is being received in maternity pay. Depending on the employer this may still be full pay - though I am assuming not as one of the solutions proposed was to RTW. The income support will top the SSP and maternity pay or SMP up to the amount that is required to live off.

miduck

LittleMax wrote: »

It will be income support as partner is claiming SSP and OP is unable to claim JSA as she is not seeking work, and with an 11 week old baby we do not expect someone to. How much will depend on what pay is being received in maternity pay. Depending on the employer this may still be full pay - though I am assuming not as one of the solutions proposed was to RTW. The income support will top the SSP and maternity pay or SMP up to the amount that is required to live off.

The relevant amount for IS would be £111.45. The OP was in full time work before maternity, so SSP plus SMP (or higher) will be far more than the IS threshold.

OP, have you claimed CTC and CB?