What if anything am I entitled to?

[Littleelffriend]

Hi all, I'm really confused as to what benefits if any I'm entitled to claim. I'm in Scotland on maternity leave. I live with my partner, my salary is 30k and last year he earned just over 70k (his salary varies but doesn't drop below 50k). We have no childcare costs at present as baby is only 6 weeks and I plan to take a year off. Can anyone help?

I am receiving smp after my 6 weeks at 90 percent of my salary.

Your employer may offer childcare vouchers. Those could be used towards the cost of childcare.

Hi, OP:

I work in welfare rights.
Normally, in your situation, I would suggest someone claim Working Tax Credit to top up the SMP. Unfortunatly, even with your drop in income, your overall household income is too high because of your partners high wages.

You can check for yourself here: www.tax.service.gov.uk/tax-credits-calculator/#/partner

As PP have said- you can claim Child Benefit (£20.70 per week) but your husband will be taxed to an equivilent amount so this will not make your household better off overall.

I think you need to turn your attention to your outgoings and to the financial arrangements between yourself and your partner.
If you have each been used to having "your own" money, then a change might be in order.

OP I think you're quite delusional in thinking you could claim anything.
I'm a single mother and earn just over the threshold for receiving benefits apart from CB. I've never claimed anything in my life. Nor would I wish to if I'm earning enough to live on. I'm still quite shocked at your responses! I think you need a reality check.

Draughty Unfortunately OP's attitude is quite common. People hear all sorts of bollocks about how generous benefits are, take it face value and then get surprised by the reality!

At the height of tax credit generosity when Labour was in power you could claim tax credits with an income up to 68k per annum.

Just a point. It is worth claiming CB even if you actually either don't take the money or it is deduced from your DP because the CB us covering you re pension etc...
As you are on ML it doesn't matter (yet) but if you ever take more time off it will become relevant.

Jesus. In England at least the household income threshold for tax credits for a couple and one child is £26k. What the fuck are you expecting to be entitled to on £100k?! It's not the state's fault you just bought a house.

It occurs to me that the OP could be concerned about financial abuse from her partner - perhaps he's indicated that he doesn't intend to "subsidise" her while she's not earning as much, or that childcare costs when she returns to work are her problem, or that everything will be split down the middle rather than based on proportions of earnings, or whatever. I've been on MN long enough to know that men like this exist! That would be another explanation for trying to find out if she's entitled to any other support. Just saying.

Maybe Fetch.

Or maybe she's just greedy.

So you're in a 30k job, and you dont know what you're entitled to??

I think you must be overpaid if you cannot work it out!?!

" It's not the state's fault you just bought a house."

just bought a SECOND house.... must be tough up in Scotland

FGS the Scottish property system doesn't do chains, chances are at some stage you either have 2 houses or none! It can be quite scary.
No it's not the states fault she has just bought a house but that doesn't stop her being concern and asking the question about whether there is support available.
People have answered the question and she's accepted the answer - give her a break!

Fetchez I considered that too. I think that, sadly, we should always be alive to that possibility when someone asks about finances.

At the very least- they may be unused to the idea of shared finances and need some advice about readjusting things in the light of OP's very substantial loss of personal income.

You're may not feel it, but you are in a very fortunate financial position op. When your household income is £100k, benefits really aren't needed!!

Boleh yeah but come on, what kind of cloud do you have to be living on to think you're entitled to benefits on £100k?!

OP, are you paying a disproportionate amount of your 30k towards mortgage/bills etc, and worrying that you'll have to support yourself when on maternity leave? Your joint income should mean that you're comfortable financially, but if your OH won't share "his" money when your income reduces, then yes, you might struggle. I really hope that's not the case.

Thrill I guess until relatively recently child benefit wasn't means tested, SMP isn't means tested, it's not a totally daft question.
I just think the OP is getting a very hard time. It's a significant change to loose 30% of your income even if that's 100k to 70k rather than 30k to 21k and with a 2nd mortgage they can't shift it doesn't seem totally insane to be a bit concerned and just ask what might be out there.
Perhaps pregnancy hormones are making me over sensitive to some of more robust views on here!

Christ wtf??