Benefits help pls?

[happy-chick]

OK i'm trying to figure out what we will be entitled to when baby is born as im self employed and not entitled to maternity allowance leading up to pregnancy which isn't helping!

My OH earns 20k per year and I've worked out that we are entitled to £896.00 per year child tax credits which works out at just over £17 a week... surely we're not expected to manage on that alone?

Is there anything else that we can apply for when baby is born? I'm worried that Im going to have to look for a job and close my business down to be honest as its not earning much at all.

 

[beth3735]

and child tax credits you can get, Also your child benefit which everyone gets no matter of income which if i remember rightly is around £17 a week aswell

I know its not much, we still struggle with CTC WTC and CB with the 2 children.
But you do honestly get there in the end.

What type of work do you do self employed? Is it a job you can do slowly even though you have a new born or is it a demanding type of job?

 

[Becksss]

Child benefit is £18.10 a week now

 

[happy-chick]

Sorry the above is working tax credits.

I a designer which I could so when I have chance but I wouldn't have the time to get out there and get work which is where the problem arises.

 

[Emmylou]

We don't get any WTC (Me - £20,000 salary - DH doesn't take a salary), we get approx £88 p/wk CTC and £18 p/wk CB.

You should also apply for the Surestart Maternity Grant (£500) as you may well be entitled to that to help you with buying the essential items, apply anyway, they can only say no, I should have done this but didn't realise I could apply until a couple of weeks ago, and it has to be done before your LO is 3 months old

Check here:
http://www.entitledto.co.uk/

to see what you are entitled to hun

 

[happy-chick]

Thanks Emmylou that site is really helpful

Its worked out that ill be entitled to the following (I put that we already have 1 dependant just to see what we could get):

Child Tax Credits - £20.36 pw
Housing Benefit - £7.06 pw
Child Benefit - £18.10 pw
Total - £45.52 pw

 

[Emmylou]

Glad it helped - you need to apply for CTC as soon as bubs is born, as you need their name & DOB they will only backdate for 3 months, so I would advise ordering a form now, filling everything but the child details, and then being ready to post it asap after the birth, especially as the money will come in very handy straight away

 

[happy-chick]

Im going to take a trip to my local jobcentre and ask them whether im entitled to maternity allowance or incapacity benefit when I reach 26 weeks so I will get the forms for everything else then too

 

[Tangerinedream]

Housing Benefit - £7.06 pw

Dont laugh Ive seen HB for 50 pence per week- I think why bother lol

I've also seen it for -3 pence so we are paying them to live in the house

 

[happy-chick]

haha really thats mad! Wish someone would pay me to live in my house! ha

 

[Princess_Puddles]

To be honest with you I wouldn't rely on those websites at all, last year we were quoted far less on them that what we were actually entitled to. My OH was earning £21000 and I was earning around £4500 and we got more than you have been quoted for tax credits. This year it's totally different because my OH is now on £25000 and im on £10995 so we're only entitled to £25 a month CTC and nothing for WTC but oh well it helps.
Go down to your jobcentre, they'll help you with all your entitlements

 

[cloud9]

you may be able to get help with council tax aswell if you are on housing benefit.
if you get Child tax credit you can apply for healthy start voucers £2.80 a week prior to birth double after


hope this helps