Tip for 1st Time Mums applying for Child Benefit, Tax Credits ect

[littlemiss83]

Hi Ladies,

I just remembered about this today. Its a good wee tip that will really help!

If you will be applying for Child Benefit (I think everyone is still entitled to it) and/or Tax Credits, or any other type of benefit, get all your forms asap & fill them all in before baby comes, some of the forms are lengthy & confusing, fill in all of the forms apart from the part that asks for baby's name, DOB ect. And get all the extra info ready, like wage slips/bank statements ect. This means when baby comes rather than filling in loads of forms, you only have the baby's name and DOB to put in, photo copy birth cert & post.

I was really glad I done this with my 1st, because I was in full time employment the forms were quite confusing & took days to fill in, it was alot less hassle when baby born & it meant I got my money sooner.

I think alot of the forms can be printed off online now too.

Also, I thought it was best to register the birth ASAP, coz the birth cert is needed for alot of things.

Even with me doing all this, it took me 10 weeks to get any sort of child benefit/tax credit.

 

[Zoeox]

Thanks for this advice littlemiss. Think its great that you've put this up. Do you know where you get forms from though?
x

 

[jomc]

thanks hun!

 

[littlemiss83]

Thanks for this advice littlemiss. Think its great that you've put this up. Do you know where you get forms from though?
x

Child Benefit & Tax Credits are from HMRC (tax office) & any other benefits are DSS.

This link gives you info & forms for Child Benefit -

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/

and this one is for Tax Credits


http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/claiming/get-started/how-to-claim.htm

 

[Zoeox]

Thanks very much I'll take a nosey =D
xx

 

[BevG]

also if u dont qualify before baby is born then re apply for the sure start maternity grant after its born, ya never know lol

 

[pinkyprincess]

I tried to have a look a couple of weeks ago but didn't understand much! Is everyone entitled?

 

[littlemiss83]

Well up til recently everyone who has a child is entitled to Child Benefit, which is about £20 a week. But David Cameron is bringing in the changes to benefits ect, and one of those changes was to cut Child Benefit for those earning over a certain amount, i'm not 100% sure when these changes come into play, it could be next year.

And Tax Credits, they all depend on you & your OH's income, there's a tax credits calculator on the link I put on.

 

[pinkyprincess]

Well his basics £21000 but with his overtime (which isn't guaranteed) last year he brought home nearer £40000 so he thinks we won't get it because of that?

 

[BevG]

id only go on what your garaunteed but i dunno how these things work lol, no kids and havent been on benefits for longer than 6 months really

 

[pinkyprincess]

That's what we thought! I hope thats the case as I earn pittance lol!

 

[BevG]

lol me and my OH combined dont even make 20k, more like 18 and i think the cut off is 17 700 or something for tax credits atm, will just apply anyway as it cant hurt huh lol

 

[littlemiss83]

Well his basics £21000 but with his overtime (which isn't guaranteed) last year he brought home nearer £40000 so he thinks we won't get it because of that?

I'd go by the basic too, you should be entitled going by the basic as its still quite a low amount. Its rather annoying when it comes to overtime coz i'm sure they ask for ur OH's P60 which is yearly income & if he got the higher amount for the previous tax year you probs wouldn't be entitled (to tax credits) even though he might not get that every year.

I dont think they've brought this new child benefit thing in anyway, I dont think its until 2012 so I would just apply anyway.

 

[littlemiss83]

CHILD BENEFIT

On Monday Chancellor George Osborne said that from 2013 the benefit would be removed from families with at least one parent earning more than about £44,000 a year

While families with two earners on just under £44,000 each - but collectively about £80,000 - would keep child benefit, those with one earner on more than £44,000 would lose it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11473609


TAX CREDITS

Family element
The second strand affects the so-called "family element" which, at present, every claimant with children receives.

This is £545 a year for everyone with annual income of £50,000 or less.
Above that, for most people - unless they have large families or substantial childcare costs - the £545 starts to be tapered at a rate of £1 in every £15.
This means that you are entitled to some family element until your household income is about £58,000.
From April 2011, the £50,000 threshold will be reduced to £40,000, and the taper increased to 41p in the pound.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10416333

 

[pinkyprincess]

Thanks! So bloody confusing :s start my leave beginning of december was thinking about trying to see someone to give me some advice to try and sort it :s

 

[littlemiss83]

citizens advice would be a good place to start. Your right its mind boggling.

 

[pinkyprincess]

Well thanks for all the help

 

[charliebear]

Just wanted to add you need your child benefit number (which they send to you once the application is complete) before you can do tax credits

 

[JJ Mum]

worth applying, as we get under 18K and we get child tax credits , and all get the child benefit, but I didn't know if was being taken away fork higher earners. I'm on lower income, but what is the incentive for people to progress and work hard , and when they just get to the level that means they have more money, they get it taken away by loss of both of these things, what a silly system!! If you do get tax credits , then make sure you let them know , keep a good record of if your taxable year to date value (usually on each months payslip and end p60), then as april approaches you can make sure they know it's going to be higher , eg overtime, bonus etc or it will cause you problems. my freind forgot to tell them of overtime, and ended up paying it back for ages, so I , as I go a bit paranoid and over the top on this one as I worry.

 

[littlemiss83]

Yeah you defo need to be on the ball if your getting tax credits, you need to let them know about everything basically, and if you end up relying on it, it can cause so many probs if the payments stop. Being over-paid is easily aviodable, as long as your willing to put in the effort to keep everything up to date and go through your awards letter with a fine tooth comb.

I get some tax credits, but i'm lucky because in the 7 years i've been getting them, i've never had any problems with payments stopping or being over paid but thats because my wages have only went up slightly each year & I let them know when it happens.