Help with tax credits and entitlement

[Emilycmx]

I am due on 26 January 2018 and am already on maternity leave. I earn £24,500 normally but my work pay no maternity pay only statutory maternity pay. I have taken holidays so that I will receive a "normal" salary until the end of February.

From March I will only receive stat mat pay at £140 per week. Am I able to start claiming tax credits as soon as my wage reduces? Or do I have to wait for the start of the new tax year? I will be able to work out exactly what I will earn for 2018/2019 as I know how long I will be off work, my wage when I return etc. Does anyone know if HMRC will accept my estimated figures? Everything I have looked at suggests I need to put in my earnings for the previous tax year which doesn't seem fair as I will be much worse off (by more than £10,000). I appreciate that if my estimates are wrong I may need to repay any over claimed funds.

Can anyone advise roughly how long you have to wait once you make tax credit application before it is paid?

I have also read that if you are claiming tax credits you are eligible for the Sure Start Maternity Grant and that this can be claimed up to 3 months after your child is born. This would mean I can submit the claim (assuming go on due date) up to 26 April 2018 - do you think this would be accepted if I wasn't in receipt of tax credit when the baby was born? Again any advice appreciated (idea of waiting times etc.)

I work in accountancy so I am trying to get an accurate idea of what to expect so I can budget as I will be on my own. I have never claimed any kind of benefits or assistance from government so want to ensure I claim what I am entitled to, as I have been a tax payer since 16 and now need the assistance of the government as my work maternity pay is non-existent!!

I can't get any assistance with my housing costs, as I live in a relatives property without a formal lease (due to mortgage). From what I have looked at with my council I appear to only be due a £1 reduction per week in my council tax (haha) although I am eligible for the 25% single person discount.

you need to claim as soon as your income drops as they only backdate it a short time

For the tax year to the end of march you would be entitled to very little as you have already earnt very near to the threshold for one child. From the start of the new tax year you would be entitled to help and would need to apply based on earnings for 2017-18 and then ring and give them an estimate for 2017-18 when your pay will be lower.

Also make sure you claim child maintainance through CMS if necessary. You also need to check whether it will be tax credits you claim or universal credits.

I thought your ml and smp had to start on edd/birth so you could only be "on leave" until then.

LIZS - I am baffled by that too !

Yes you cannot take AL once the baby is born, you must switch to mat leave then. You can add unused AL to the end of your mat leave instead.

Thanks all. Yes sorry should have made that clear my ml starts on 26th January. So I get 90% wages for first six weeks taking me to 9th March so for February and January I will get a wage similar to my normal.

Do you think I need to wait until 5 April to phone HMRC or can I let them know in advance? Thanks for the help didn't think I would be entitled to anything for 2017/2018 tax year which is ok as have budgeted for then. Just worried how long I need to wait from start of next tax year to make claim/receive tax credits.

There's no harm in opening a claim when your 90% pay stops but they will most likely give you a nil award and you then try to give an estimate for 2018-19. You can deduct £100 for each week you claim SMP off your total.

It can take a few weeks for a new claim to be processed. You usually need to claim Child benefit first although I guess you will do that when the baby is born.