Maternity Grant **UPDATED**WE GOT IT!!**

[HideiLu]

OK Ladies, I'll try and make this simple.

We got tyurned down for Mat Grant as at the time our tax credit hadnt been confirmed, so we then appealed.

I just called to chase up the appeal, but was told very bluntly that we are no way entitled to it!!

We get £21.60 a week. From when Jack was born to end of tax year, this works out £708 BUT Over the full tax year is something like £1090.

Now as I understand, this is the qualifying amount for the grant. BUT as Jack was born in August, they are basing their decision on what we get from when he was born until the end of this tax year - whereas if he was born in April, everything would be fine?!!

I have spoken to everyone possible on the million 0845 numbers to call, but noone seems to be able to help. We were desperately relying on that money

--------------------------------
GOOD NEWS - WE GOT IT!!

I worked out our total amount for the year; dividing the amount awarded by the amount of days it's for, then times by 352 (days in the year) and it's £1095 - the qualifying amount.

I sent the claim form and followed up with a letter (tried the phone line over 50times without getting through) and got a letter through Wednesday saying we do qualify and it should have been paid in to my account yesterday!!

 

[lisa282]

Hi hun, the way I understand it is that if you claim tax credits at a higher amount than the basic £1090 then you would be entitled to it, BUT if you only get the basic family element of £1090 then unfortunately you wont get the grant I couldnt claim it for my first baby either, but did get it with my second as our tax credits jumped up quite a bit. FWIW we only had about £20 a week tax credits for the first too, so Id say you probably wont be able to get the grant I could be wrong but this is what I believe, sorry

 

[moss]

I have a related question. We were turned down because the tax credits and things hadn't been processed. They STILL haven't been, but the person on the phone gave us an estimate that will definitely qualify us for the grant. We have reapplied, just in time for the three month time limit. If we are refused again on the basis of the tax credit not being confirmed, can we appeal after the three month date (since it wasn't our fault it was missed)?

 

[1sttimemum]

We get £21.60 a week.

This is all we get also

 

[maybebaby]

I don't know if this will help, but I was turned down for ds on the basis we didn't get the higher rate of tax credits. This was only because they had worked it out on our previous year's income, when I was working full time. I had to wait until the end of the tax year this year, when we had our final assessment and were told we should have been receiving a higher amount and given a big back payment.

I thought I might as well try my luck with the maternity grant again even though it was nearly a year since I had first applied, so I sent an email (I didn't think I'd get it and wasn't going to waste money on expensive phone calls!). It took about 2 weeks for them to get back & said my appeal was successful!

So we had to wait ages but we got it in the end. It's just such a stupid system, I called when we first applied and explained about working full/part time and the difference in income, but they were really unhelpful.

 

[HideiLu]

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