Sorry for the long post!
I have just received the letter from the DWP telling me that I’ve been refused for the Sure Start Maternity Grant (SSMG) and was wondering if anyone has been in the same situation and if they managed to successfully appeal.
I know that you have up to 6 months after your baby is born to apply for SSMG. I was only able to apply for it 2 weeks before my baby turned 6 months as I’ve started only receiving SMP and have become eligible for Universal Credit.
I posted the letter for SSMG on the 10th April and tried to send it recorded next day delivery but was advised that they can’t because it’s the free post. I then received a text from the DWP advising they received my claim on the 21st which is 3 days after my baby turned 6 months.
I just found out that the date of the claim is the day the DWP processes that they’ve received the letter which makes it impossible for anyone to apply the day before their baby turns 6 month old.
Too early and I’m not eligible for universal credit, too late and the letter won’t reach them in time. When calling them to ask them to explain the decision, the lady told me that they have another address that I can use to send the letter for next day delivery. When I mentioned that it doesn’t say that anywhere on the official notes for SSMG, she asked me if I had called them to ask to which I responded that I didn’t feel the need to because I understood the notes on the official guidance.
They also had a second reason for refusal that I wasn’t claiming a qualifying benefit which isn’t true as I had a claim in progress which they didn’t want for it to conclude because I applied “too late”.
Has anyone been able to successfully appeal a refusal where they had actually sent the form before their baby turned 6 months old but the DWP received it later?
(also love how the date of claim is when they receive the letter but 30 days for me to appeal starts when they send the letter)sure