Housing Benefit and Working Tax Credits HELP!!!!

[mell_lou]

I'm due to start my maternity leave on 7th Oct and I've just called my council for a housing benefit calculation for when my SMP starts to be told I will be getting less then what I get now.

I work 3 days a week and earn £700pm my tax credits work out at £240 a week. I have a 3 year old daughter who goes to nursery whilst I'm at work. Her nursery fees are £525pm and I get the childcare element of tax credits to help pay towrds this. I also get £60pw housing benefit but I'm not entitled to council tax benefit.

My problem is this... I will get £135pw SMP, my daughters nursery fees will go down as she starts nursery school in September. The fees will be £270pm and my total tax credits will be around the £200pw mark (calculated by tax credits when I called them) after speaking with my council and telling them this I was told I Will be entitled to a mere £24pw housing benefit as they will not take into account that I have childcare costs!!!! I tried to explain that when you claim SMP you are still classed as being in work hence why I am still able to claim the childcare element of tax credits as my child still needs to go to nursery. I need for her to have that place at nursery which they won't keep for her unless I pay the fees, and if I give up her place at nursery then I have no chance of going back to work after baby is born as the private nursery take her over to nursery school and pick her up until I finish work and can pick her up. I've waited a year to get her into this particular private nursery anyway and the new baby has been on the list since I got BFP as the list is so long lol!

I was just wondering if this info is correct and that they will not take into account any childcare costs when calculating my housing benefit whilst on SMP (I get told something different everytime I speak to someone at that council), in which case I actually feel like I have no alternative other than to quit my job and be a stay at home mom

Any help would be appreciated! X

 

[davidjoemum]

yes before my son was born i was entitle to 74 pounds(sorry i have an american laptop so no pounds symbol) a week a soon as my baby was born and i claimed CTC and WTC i was entitle to none of HB!i had 146 quit coming from taxes and 600 Mat leave in total i had about 1200 pounds a month they said i was having enough income to cover rent 725pounds and council tax 125 so about 850 outgoing already which left me with 350 for me and my son to survive and pay utility bills, car insurance ect.that make me move back to FOB and give him another chance after what he put me through(long story) as i couldnt afford to live there anymore!
simply they dont give a shit that people have other expences like nursery fees and utility bills or other debts as long you getting as much to cover rent for them you out of claim list.i understand there are some people who take the p... and claim whole benefits sitting at home all day and watch Jeremy Kyle not bothered to find a job but there are people who work their butts off to make ends meet and they need help to pay rent.
go to your local CAB and they can contact Council on your behalf explaining your situation and maybe they can get you some emergency benefits( i heard that they are available for people who really dont have money to pay rent but they working)

hope they will sorted for you
xxxx