Maternity...benefits? Tax credits?

mell242

Hi everyone,
I am due to give birth to our first child in September. When I leave work I will get the standard 90% pay for 6 weeks and then 26 weeks at the SMP (£112 per week or something like that!).

I am just unsure if we will get anything else? I have tried looking on several websites, DWP and entitled to but they are rather confusing.

I know that we will get child benefit which will be a help but I'm just confused about Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. My partner currently earn £36,000 per year. I currently earn £26,000 but obviously won't be once I am not working.
Any help would be appreciated

mitchaa

Benefits are for low income families, you are middle earners.

You'll get the £18.80pw CB of course.

Additionally you will receive a tiny amount in child tax credits (CTC) There is a limit of around £66k in childs 1st year dropping to around £58k after that.

Your income will be assessed on £62k, so you'll get a tiny little bit of CTC, but not much, probably a few quid or so per week.

As a rough guide from memory, you get full entitlement of CTC on incomes upto around £20k. There is a family element of £545pa for incomes of around £20k-50k and then it drops from £545 at a proportional rate between 50- £66k. Beyond £66k not a penny.

mell242

thanks, I know we are not 'low income' but as you say we are entitled to something. I was just wondering how much.

tigtag02

SMP is also 90% for 6 weeks and the £112.75 for 33 weeks. This will increase slightly in the new tax year

mitchaa

I think you will receive around £10-15pw for the 1st year, but that's just a guess figure

You can go onto the HMRC website and there is a ''do i qualify section'' there that will tell you what you are entitled to.