maternity leave and housing benefit

staceyb2003

I'm a single mum working part time i started maternity leave in septemberi was getting a fair bit of my rent and council tax paid as i already had one child and working 18 hours a week. When i started maternity leave i couldn't get it via work as i had been on sick with pregnancy related sickness before i got to maternity period so i had to have a maternity allowance which was not much less that what i would be entitled to with work as smp . As soon as this came through i was informed that i would have to pay full rent and council tax because i was still getting working tax as i was still classed as working as well as getting an allowance. The council also told me if i was getting it via SMP i would still be entitled to some rent etc but that does not make sense to be because surely i would need it more while claiming an allowance ? I don't understand how i can be getting similar to my wage but not be getting any help towards rent and council tax yet while i was working i was getting it. I've done the calculaters on the entitled to sites even the jobcentres and my own councils site all say that i am entitled to half of each yet the council are refusing i even wrote to them asking them to review the amount but they won't budge ? i was living of my working tax and child benefit and child tax while pregnant because my SMA only just covers rent and council tax and now i have two kids its just as bad, surely this can't be right ? getting maternity allowance to just have to pay it all out on rent and c tax and live off your working tax and child tax ?

MidnightHour

Maybe they are confusing you with the benefits cap? I would contact local cab or use the freephone number of local job centre plus to see if they can shed some light.

https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/what-youll-get

Someone should also be along later on here with more knowledge so hang tight.

StormyWeather_2

HB is based on income rather than status.

Is there a complaints number for your council's HB office?

staceyb2003

StormyWeather wrote: »

HB is based on income rather than status.

Is there a complaints number for your council's HB office?

they claim i'm getting to much but i'm getting no more than i was working part time, even with onechild

MidnightHour

The benefits cap has come into play then? But it can't have if you still get working tax credits?

What is your income? let us know and we can do the calculators and see if it tallys.

Or try this one https://www.gov.uk/calculate-your-maternity-pay/y to see if you are getting correct amount.

staceyb2003

MidnightHour wrote: »

The benefits cap has come into play then? But it can't have if you still get working tax credits?

What is your income? let us know and we can do the calculators and see if it tallys.

.

Hi sorry for the late reply i don't get to log on much with the new baby etc. Here goes....

Before i had baby when i was on maternity leave
£76 working tax
£63 child tax
£136 maternity allowance.
£20 child benefit ( they don't countthat when calculating claims)

I also cancelled my £66 a week childcare as i would just be paying £35 extra out of my wn pocket for keeping it running so when they told me my housing benefit would be reduced to £10 help a week i would get some help if i was still getting the childcare element, i said why would i send my child to a minder when i am at home. So i started that again and they sent me another notice to say i had lost the £10 help to

After baby my income is now :

£76 working tax
£116 child tax
£33 child benefit ( not included when calculating)
£136 Maternity allowance
£66childcare ( not included when calculating ) but because i am using it on their say so i am paying £35 Week from my own pocket)

As a result i am now paying £25 a week council tax and £86 full rent i'm sure something does not seem right ?it's been like this since september nd i'm really starting to struggle now with all my other bills and baby milk to buy etc i've started dipping into my other daughters school uniform fund because she goes up to secondary school in september and its a academy so everything has to be particular

jetplane

Do you receive 25% discount for single adult? I cant imagine your council tax being £25 week unless there are arrears. Without knowing your full rent and council tax charge benefit can not be calculated.

However on a very quick look I estimate that before baby 2 was born you should have been paying approx £79 week towards your rent and all of your council tax. After baby 2 was born approx £70 week towards rent and all of your council tax.

Are you paying your childminder? If not have the LA taken all or some of the £66 into account? Your HB notice will detail all of the income that has been taken into account. It will also detail your allowances of single person, 2 children and family. Check that they have included your second child and check to see if they have ignored all of the £66.

I don't know what your previous benefit was but it is possible that you were actually earning less than you receive in maternity allowance and that would be the reason your HB was reduced. For example if you were on min wage and earning 113.58 week you would only have been paying aprox £64 towards your rent.

Does this make sense to you?

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Do you have a recent benefit notification to hand?

If so can you list the income the Council is using and the applicable amount figure they are using?

I wonder if they are still holding a wage figure in your calculation?

fawd1

The first thing I would stop then would be the childcare. They reduced your HB to just £10 per week but it's costing you £35 and you don't need it. Even if they cancel your HB entirely you'd still be better off by £25 per week.

FBaby

It sounds even more ludicrous if the child in childcare is 11.

staceyb2003

jetplane wrote: »

Do you receive 25% discount for single adult? I cant imagine your council tax being £25 week unless there are arrears. Without knowing your full rent and council tax charge benefit can not be calculated.

However on a very quick look I estimate that before baby 2 was born you should have been paying approx £79 week towards your rent and all of your council tax. After baby 2 was born approx £70 week towards rent and all of your council tax.

Are you paying your childminder? If not have the LA taken all or some of the £66 into account? Your HB notice will detail all of the income that has been taken into account. It will also detail your allowances of single person, 2 children and family. Check that they have included your second child and check to see if they have ignored all of the £66.

I don't know what your previous benefit was but it is possible that you were actually earning less than you receive in maternity allowance and that would be the reason your HB was reduced. For example if you were on min wage and earning 113.58 week you would only have been paying aprox £64 towards your rent.

Does this make sense to you?

hi my full rent is £86 per week and c tax is not in arrears but it is £100 a month x