Just upset myself (long post)

[keli]

Am worried i won't be able to pay next months rent nevermind eating! I am now on SMP. Just rang the tax credits people who told me i had to fill a form in on last years earning which was £22500 wich i did about a mth ago) then when bubs born ring with change of earning for this yr. Want to claim working tax credit and child tax credit. Thought to myself should be able to claim workng tax credit now as that not depending on baby being here so being impatient i've just rang and told them i'll only be earning £7000 this yr plus £4000 in MP the fella said that im not entilted to working tax credit as my earning were to high last yr!.. yeah but i can't earn that amount this yr! Have scared myself now thinking i'm not going to be able to afford anything my out goings are about £850 a mth. Don't know what i'm going to do if i'm not entilted to it

 

[Terrie]

i would go to your local citizans advice office or your local job centre and they will help you in understanding what you are entitled to!

 

[keli]

Only entitled to tax credits as i work. SMP is £117 a wk hows a person supposed to manage on that! Hate worrying about money.. bloody baby being so late could have had it all sorted by now!

 

[Strangeness]

That's bad of them to say it will be based on last year. My dh's wages have gone down from last year and I phoned them up and told them we'll be losing quite a bit of money and they have done a new award based on this years earnings.

 

[fran_23]

they don't work it out by a year as in january to december there financial year goes from july to july so everything is based on your earningd from last july to this july..well thats what it says in my tax credits annual review pack.

you might be entitled to the £500 maternity grant as you are now on smp..phone up the dwp..the number should be on the letter they sent you to fill out the tax credits form! don't worry babe you will cope

 

[BeckyJ]

id go to citizens advice if i was you hope you get something sorted

 

[keli]

I'm probably just worrying over nothing and i will be able to claim it but he really wasn't that helpful and def told me it was based on last yrs earnings.

Strangeness if they've changed your hubbies then my claim shouldn't be any different.

Ref sure start grant you have to be claiming to be entitled to that i think will look into it.

Thanks for the hugs ladies xx

 

[Hazel]

Try not to worry. My DH got made redundant a few months ago and now I'm on smp we only just have enough to scrape by and I haven't even thought about price of nappies etc. I know we'll cope because we'll have to and you'll be the same.

 

[fran_23]

i thought you said you were on SMP- so that means you werent intitled to MP right? so that qualifys you for the grant is if i remember rightly.

you know what when i was 38 weeks my work dropped the bombshell that i wasn't entitled to maternity pay afterall...and the jobcentre said i didn't have enough tax credits for SMP..i was distraught an crapping myself how i would cope..but here i am!! it will work out for you in the end hun xx

 

[keli]

I thought they were the same thing?.. i work full time but am on maternity leave i get maternity pay for my employer which is at the rate of statuory maternity pay? so i thought that was SMP, who knows its shite anyway

What will be will be and i know i'll cope, we have too. Feeling a bit better now will just pop it to back of my mind until babies born then i'll give them a call back, thanks for the replies ladies

 

[Suzie and Faith]

I'm trying to remember what I read... I *think* of you can prove that you are earning a significantly different amount this year to what you did last year then you can reapply for tax credits - you may need to prove your pay but i think you can get them to reasses it. Whatever happens don't worry, it'll all work out xx

 

[mandspice]

Perservere with the tax credits people - you will be enititled, they just go a silly long way about it. I think you have to apply first based on last years earnings and THEN advise them of a change of circumstances for this year, based on your predicted income. Should be pretty easy to prove if you have your maternity contract / letter stating your SMP entitlement.

Good luck xxxx