Benefit Entitlement

[MissT2095]

I am currently planning my maternity leave and have been advised to look into child tax credits / child benefit / working tax credits.

To be honest I'm finding it all completely baffling and was wondering if someone with a bit of knowledge might be able to help.

I've figured I can claim child benefit when my little man arrives but the other 2 blow my mind.

For background my total household income is approx 51k, mine personally is 19k before deductions.

Any help would be appreciated.

I'm sorry the only thing you will be able to claim is child benefit which which will be around £20 a week for a first child.

I think even if you went back to work and had childcare to pay your joint earnings would be way too high to get any child tax credits and working tax credits are only for those on a very low income of under £17k.

You need to work out what you will be earning for the tax year (Apr-Mar) as close as possible.

Then get your reduced total household income and enter it on the gov website. It will do the calculations for you.

We couldn't claim anything, and we rang the office to check after being advised we could. Our income is similar to yours, and I was on basic SMP pay.

I don't think you are even eligible for child benefit if one of you earn over 50k

They earn £51k between them so they will be able to claim child benefit.

Oh sorry just saw you said it's household income that's 51k

www.gov.uk/government/collections/tax-credits-entitlement-tables

I don't know if the link will post but have a look here

For child tax credits with one child and no childcare costs the cut off is around 26k.

Everyone receives family allowance which I think is £87 every 4 weeks or first child... then it's £130 (ish) second child.

Family allowance became child benefit in the 1980's.

As pp's have said you will only be able to apply for child benefit at £82 a month. If you intend to use paid childcare ask both your employers about the childcare voucher scheme. You can sacrifice some salary each month to be paid as childcare vouchers so don't pay tax on them.

One thing to check is whether you are in a digital or full service area for universal credit. That is replacing tax credits. Once you have done that you could try a benefit calculator

www.gov.uk/guidance/jobcentres-where-you-can-claim-universal-credit

You can check which jobcentre covers you with this search
los.direct.gov.uk

Then maybe use a benefit calculator or go to citizens advice
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/benefits-introduction/what-benefits-can-i-get/

There will be no benefits on 51k whether op is in a UC area or not. Apart from child benefit which is not part of UC.

Thanks so much all!

Lexie Were you able to claim for just the period you were on maternity leave for?

I'm planning on taking the full year on SMP so will need all the help I can get

You only repay cb if either of you have income above 50k pa(not jointly) and even then it is on a sliding scale up to 60k. If you do earn above you register for it then repay by a tax return, so get the benefit of cash flow, or opt out of receiving payments, which can be restarted should circumstances change.

And the 50k is net of pension contributions etc.

*Thanks so much all!

LexieWere you able to claim for just the period you were on maternity leave for?

I'm planning on taking the full year on SMP so will need all the help I can get*

OP as many PP have said the only benefit you will be entitled to is child benefit at £20 per week.

won't be entitled to tax credits on your household income including the period when you are on matenity leave as the cut off for one child with no childcare costs is £26k - if your joint income is currently 51k and your contribution to this is 19k then this means your DP is on £32k so too high for any other benefits

We were not but my husband earns more than the threshold (I think it's about 27k) on his own.

SMP is a real struggle, £137 a week I believe. We saved a a couple of thousand before I went off, think I could top up my "wage" but it went pretty soon.

green - the posters joint income is 51k when they are earning there yearly wage.

If say she was the main earner and her partner was earning 15k, her being on a reduced SMP wage would take her under the threshold.

You have to work out your (tax) year income on your reduced wage to see if you're entitled

Op says her income is £19k therefore her dh's is £32k, therefore they won't be entitled to anything other than Child benefit.
For the year that op is on mat leave they will have no childcare costs and will still be over the one child threshold of £26k, therefore there will be no entitlement to tax credits.
Depending what op earns when she goes back to work and depending on childcare costs, there may then be some help for them.