healthy start vouchers and maternity allowence?

[siouxie]

Is anyone getting healthy start vouchers while claiming maternity allowance. Ive Googled it and can't see anything about it online or the web site just that of you 're claiming working tax credits your not. I sent my application in properly about 4 or 5 weeks ago now. I emailed them and they emailed me back for some details then they didn't email back so I rang them and was told as I get maternity alowence I'm not entitled to the vouchers I mentioned it doesn't say anything about this online and he said when I go back to work I will be reassessed. Then a few days later I received an email saying my application has now been assessed and if I don't receive my vouchers by 2.2.2013 call them and they will be re-issued. Well today's the 2nd and still no vouchers. I have no idea if the person on the phone or that emailed me is correct?

 

[Jaxx01]

Yes I got them while on maternity allowance and still get them now I would give them another call hun.

They are very useful and they also send you a voucher for vitamins for yourself and little one cx

 

[siouxie]

Thanks that's great to hear. I didn't think he was right on the phone because it said nothing about it on the web site but since I've had an email saying they have been sent. If they don't arrive in Mondays post I will deffo give them another call. X

 

[HopesDreams]

I'm a single mum to be & was working full time until maternity leave started last week. I assume I'm not entitled?

 

[Jaxx01]

This is what the website says :

Do I qualify for Healthy Start?
You qualify for Healthy Start if you’re at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four years old and you or your family get:

Income Support, or
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or
Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit unless your family is receiving Working Tax Credit run-on only*) and has an annual family income of £16,190 or less (2012/13).
You also qualify if you are under 18 and pregnant, even if you don’t get any of the above benefits or tax credits.

*Working Tax Credit run-on is the Working Tax Credit you receive in the 4 weeks immediately after you have stopped working for 16 hours or more per week.

It seems I qualified as I was getting child tax credit! HopeDresms you will qualify when baby is here because you will get child tax but not sure you qualify when pregnant! Although by the time they'd processed application you'd have had baby anyway lol x

 

[siouxie]

I didn't qualify until baby was here. Now according to that I do.

 

[siouxie]

Rang up today as they didn't come in the post the lady told me the vouchers had been sent and take up to 8 working days so hopefully in the next few days they arrive. they said they received my form on the 14 Jan I've read online of they back date and she said she would put in a request from the date they received the form. I'm only planning on spending these on formula milk atm can I use the months worth of vouchers all in one go to get as many tubs as I can or can you only use so many at a time?

 

[Jaxx01]

Yep! That's what I do x

 

[siouxie]

Okay thats great thanks. I asked my friend and she buys her number 3 milk with her vouchers the official web site says u can't buy milk thats from 6 months plus tho. Strange I didn't know baby's could drink cows milk from 6 months

 

[Jaxx01]

On my vouchers it state, fresh or formula milk and fresh or frozen fruit or veg! They have got a bit strict in that the cashiers will always check you are using them properly as loads of people used to just take them off a general shop!!!!

I get my stage 3 follow on milk ... I get them from boots so get it for pretty much nothing and get boots points!!! Lol x

 

[siouxie]

Ohh that's a great idea I might do that

 

[Jaxx01]

Join the baby club at boots too and you get 10 points per baby purchase! You don't get points at all on first milk though x

 

[siouxie]

Yea I've already done that got my card waiting for my voucher for the free baby bag. My vouchers still haven't arrived they said they was sent on the 31st when I rang them and allow 8 days to arrive. I know they have been lost tho as I've ordered stuff since and it's already arrived in the post. Does anyone know if these 're sent first class? I might give them another ring 2mro if they don't come and hopefully they will 're issue them before next week very annoying.