Need help on Sure Start and CTC, can anyone help please?

[tilly-maggie]

Hi, ive probably posted before about this but i am still none the wiser about it.

I couldnt claim the £500 SS because as i believe as my husband works 38 hours and i am on contribution based employment and support allowence. But i was told i may be able to claim it after the baby arrived. My LO is now 6 weeks old and not sure if i could claim it or not and how do i go about it.

Regarding the CTC i have an appointment with the tax office (security reasons apparently) to get the form, but as i am married, do i make the claim joint or just myself? Also what do i have to send off with the form.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thanks

 

[shazney22]

hey hun dont know much about this but Im wondering this myself now, btw do you know how the employment and support allowance contribution works? Im so confused, they have paid me £81 but are not paying me weekly which my form says. It be great if you could help me understand how ESA works, Im due in 2 weeks xx

 

[tilly-maggie]

Hi the £81 you had was probably child benefit thats what it works out a month. The contribution based esa how i believe it to be is that you have paid enough NI to get it, and the income based is that u get that if u work so many hours. I could be totally wrong as i have no idea about these things lol x

 

[shazney22]

I know its rubbish, they dont give you enough information these days, Im assuming the contribution based runs out once the baby is born, when are you due? I dont think you get child benefit till the child is born. This is my first xxx

 

[shazney22]

Just re-read you have had your LO aww cool. yeah defo isnt child benefit for me lol weird xxx

 

[xxembobxx]

Hi
Sure start grant form I believe can be requested from your local job centre or downloaded and printed off from their website: www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/claimforms/sf100_print.pdf
To be eligible you need to be in receipt of CTC at a rate higher than the family element (if you receive more than £1095 this should suffice)
A midwife or HV needs to sign the form then send or take into your local job centre.

You only have until LO is 3 months old to apply so get the form in quick. Even if you're waiting for CTC to be awarded send the form off and then you can send the CTC details later.

 

[Lownthwaite]

Hi,

I really thought we wouldn't be entitled to the £500 (DH works 40 hrs and we claim just over £800 in CTC)

I claimed as thought the worst they could say is no but was pleasantly suprised!
Recieved a letter saying that we could have it!! so i'd say apply! you may get lucky! x

 

[Ro2212]

CTC - if you're married I'm 99% sure you have to put both your names on it as if you don't you will be claiming as a single parent, which is obviously wrong, and could end up putting you in trouble.

SS - No ideas, sorry. May apply for it myself now tho after seeing Lownthwaite's post as I thought we weren't entitled but it may be worth giving it a go You should apply for it. The worst they can do is say sorry you're not entitled!

 

[suzib76]

yeah you cant claim alone it has to be a joint claim as it goes on your total family income not just yours, however i would be pretty sure once your tax credits claim is through you will be able to claim the grant

 

[HCB]

I am currently on JSA but I'm not entitled to the Sure Start grant. I just assumed this is because my husband earns too much (which isn't actually a lot!) but it's also because I'm on contributions based JSA. Maybe I might be entitled to it once I'm not JSA anymore (and not find a job). Might be worth a try!

 

[laura3103]

claim it chick you only have till your little one is 12 weeks old after that you will not be entitled to it.x

i got it and i was working 40 hours week and my earnings was over a £1000 a month before i went on maternity leave.

 

[beccibump91]

laura 3103, did u get it because you claimed after your LO was born and u had put ur tax credits claim in? Trying to work out if i will be entitled once LO here, i work fulltime currently, also getting over 1000 a month .. But have used tax credit calculators to see what im entitled to and it works out at £23 a week, apparently this is higher than family element - (therefore qualifying for SSMG) does that sound right? sorry to butt in on the post haha! xx

 

[suzib76]

you will get higher than the family element becasue you will have a baby under one

 

[bump_wanted]

its something to do with being on the higher rate of tax credits that makes you eligable for the sure start grant but i have no idea how you can tell if you're on the higher rate id just apply and see what happens xx

 

[beccibump91]

but it says not including baby element, so if you get baby element then u have to be on over 1095 to be entitled, which i think is about 21 a week so will keep fingers crossed