can i claim anything? new baby on the way

bestpud

becky004 wrote: »

A gross income of £35000, would entitle them to 547.50 a year CTC for the 2 children they currently have, which would then entitle them to the £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant.

Isn't that the basic/family element though?

tiamai_d

try www.entitledto.com

They will tell you roughly how much tax credits you could be entitled to.

becky004

As long as they get over £545 which I believe is the basic element, they can have the Grant, I sign these forms daily and they only need to be over the £545 limit to get the grant.

This changed in April 2008 to £548 (my mistake) and £1095 with a child under one in the family, as long as you are a penny over that, you can have the grant. The OP will be over this threshold once the new baby comes, or if his gross income is less than the £35000 i quoted on.

bestpud

Entitledto has been giving some very odd figures lately though, so do double check!

Unless they have sorted it now?

ALIBOBSY

my understanding is you have to be on higher than the basic elements ie family/baby elements. In other words this is aimed at low earners.
ali x

becky004

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

my understanding is you have to be on higher than the basic elements ie family/baby elements. In other words this is aimed at low earners.
ali x

Even if it is only £1 higher, you can have the grant.

becky004

ALIBOBSY wrote: »

my understanding is you have to be on higher than the basic elements ie family/baby elements. In other words this is aimed at low earners.
ali x

It doesn't always work like that, if you pay childcare for example, even higher earners will get a higher tax credit award to help towards the cost and as long as they are over the basic element they get to have the grant.

bestpud

becky004 wrote: »

Even if it is only £1 higher, you can have the grant.

Gosh, they may just scrape it then? Is the threshold for the family element really that high?

Ali - I thought that too, but it is clearly not the case!

Why do posters moan about those on low incomes getting all the help when people can claim with an income that high? Different debate, I guess!

Actually, OP, if you pay into a pension fund, you can knock that off your income for tax credits too. In that case, you may well be able to claim before the baby is born.

Sorry for misleading you. Hopefully you've now put in a tax credit claim anyway, as you are entitled to it?

bestpud

becky004 wrote: »

It doesn't always work like that, if you pay childcare for example, even higher earners will get a higher tax credit award to help towards the cost and as long as they are over the basic element they get to have the grant.

That doesn't seem to be the case here though, so the income threshold is actually quite high imo.

becky004

I did edit my post last night as there was an error, from April 2008 the figure went up to £548 to get the grant so he would not get it at present. However when the new baby comes providing he has a gross income of 33,350 or less then he would get £1099 CTC which would then entitle them to the grant.
Sorry for confusion.