Help Available For First Time Parents.....

CC1983

Hi all!

I was wondering if anyone more knowledgeable than me or someone who has been through this before could help me.

My OH is due to have our first child in late September and will subsequently be on maternity leave, having done some quick calculations online it appears we will be able to claim child benefit AND child tax credit if i read that right.

I also saw this sure start maternity grant which has a qualifying criteria, I was wondering if we would be able to claim this when we start claiming child tax credit?

We both work and have never claimed benefits previously so I do apologise but it's all new to me and a bit of a mine-field at present so any help/info would be appreciated. Thank you

Morglin

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

Lin.

Horseunderwater

Or try: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/benefits-check

monty-doggy

You can claim tax credits if your combined annual earnings are less than £26k.
The sure start grant is only available to low income families and you have to be claiming certain benefits to claim it.

Poppie68

You are not eligible for the sure start maternoty grant as you are not in reciept of any of the qualifying benefits...the family element of child tax credits is only part of the qualifying criteria.

Poppie68

blondebubbles wrote: »

Are you sure? The form says "or" rather than "and"

Your right bb....i worded it incorrectly..

It is 'or'.....and it is actually Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than the family element...

CC1983

It's so confusing! So you are thinking we won't qualify via only receiving child tax credit?

rachaelpie

Hi CC, I don't think u will be able to claim the grant, I couldn't when I was pregnant as me and my partner worked with a combined income of 20k. Child tax credits and working tax credits you should be entitled to, but make sure you tell them you're on maternity pay so you're salary will be less for 2014/15 tax year, they should pay more then. Like the others have said, spend 5 mins on entitledto calculator and it will give you fairly accurate figures. Obviously nothing is guaranteed until they make a decision but i find the calculator is quite close.
PS sorry for any spelling mistakes etc. I'm on my phone and i can't see the screen properly lol!!