Appeals for the Sure Start Maternity Grant

[moss]

We applied for the Sure Start well within the time limit, but the application obviously had to wait on our tax credit and child benefits applications. We were rejected once because there were problems with the other applications, so it looked like we weren't getting tax credits. My husband called and the person on the phone told him that it would be okay to call them again once the tax credits were sorted out and as long as we qualified based on those, we would be able to get it.

Well, we have finally gotten our tax credits (but still not the child benefit... argh!) and we do technically qualify for the Sure Start. But today on the phone, the person told my husband that it is too late for us to get it and that we can write in, but it will probably be ignored. Is this true? Has anyone been in a similar position? We are actually doing rather well now thanks to my almost fascist budgeting, but I am depending on this money to ensure things stay good!

 

[samandbump]

exactly the same happened to us and we ended up not getting it either i made complaint
after complaint it still annoys me to this day, they ignored my complaints in the end

 

[moss]

Oh, no! I'm really scared about this! We need it and we definitely qualify! Why are they so quick to penalise babies for the mistakes of the Inland Revenue?

 

[samandbump]

i wish i hadnt given up but i was just sick and tired of it all
definatly stand your ground, im going to make sure i definatly get it this time!!
i think when i claim i might complain again!!!

 

[maybebaby]

Personal post removed

 

[Noor~ul~Usman]

Moss I'm in exactly the same position!!!

I sent the sure start form off the same time I sent the working and child tax forms off but they took from novemeber until 20th jan to process the application for the tax credits!!! and in that time obviously I was refused for the grant

Child tax have told me repeatedly to reapply once everything is sorted because I DID hand the application in within 3months of the birth and it wasn't my fault it was delaid it was problems at their end....but I must admit I'm worried.

My husband actually lost his job as well in Dec but can't claim job seekers as he's not a british national, but I'm hoping they will still consider us as child tax are now trying to calculate what they owe me from Dec onwards and I'm waiting to see if we quailfy for income support as my maternity pay dropped down to £460 last month (so also within 3months of the birth).

Stress stress stress

 

[moss]

It makes me so angry that they do their best to get out of giving this money to people who are obviously in need of it! I am doing a lot better now, but I still need it! I have been budgeting to the point of not eating well some weeks to make sure I can save because I only just got my tax credits and still haven't gotten child benefit yet... I can't imagine being a single mother and in that position! Their incompetence is ensuring some babies start life off in poverty, and that disgusts me!

 

[mumtotwo]

I was told that as long as they receive your application before baby is 3 months it should be ok. If it's held up due to child benefit/tax credit then you can still get it as long as you didn't send it in late in the first place. It seems very unfair that you can't get it through no fault of your own. Hope you get it sorted x