anyone successfully appealed refusal of maternity grant?

[PavlovtheCat]

They refused it as they received the form over 30 days after it was signed by medical practitioner.

I have to appeal in writing. Any one else had to do this?

Never had to myself. Considering the postal strikes I think they would prob allow an appeal. Appealing in writing is fairly standard.

Can you get a new form and start again?

What did they advise?

All the letter said was they refused it on the grounds that they received the form too late. I called them up and the unhelpful woman said she did not know if the appeal would be successful, she said the form clearly stated it had to be in within 30 days and they received it well out of the 30 days. She could not advise me on how to word it, or under what circumstances the appeal would be acceptable.

I did not send it in within 30 days, as I saw nothing to say this was the requirement, i completed my bit, popped it in an envelope, carried on puking every 5 seconds for a few weeks, dealing with a scummy builder and forgot about it for about 3 weeks as it got covered in other paperwork.

Its fine for the medical team to be late completing it though isn't it? My midwife did not get around to it until i was 32 weeks. Thats fine though. Its not like I wasn't pregnant, or not entitled to it for any other reason than bureacracy.

I should be clearer. I mean the health in pregnancy grant not the surestart grant.

I have. I applied late as tax credits worked out my entitlement wrong. Initially I was earning too much to get the grant, then I was eligible.

They turned me down as I was too late, so I appealed and they turned that down as, although they agreed with me, by law they had no way of make an exception. They suggested I appealed again and that it would go to an independent hearing, which I did and won.

Oh I think I was the Surestart grant. Still, it was definitely worth appealing.

Re: refusal of health in pregnancy grant
I have appealed and been rejected for the same thing. I now have to go to a tribunal (which is rediculous considering the size of the amount and that it is given regardless of income etc). I have a solicitor for a brother-in-law so am going to seek advice from him.
It would be good to know how many other mums have had this problem, it might support my tribunal and other peoples too.
Will let you know the outcome, but the process is very slow.

Hi,
I came on here to see if any other mums-to-be were having endless problems receivng their £190 health in pregnancy grant and what needs to be done to resolve it.
I sent of my application within the week my midwife signed it. At the time I was 24 weeks pregnant, I'am now nearly 36 weeks. HMRC sent me a letter saying as I didnt have a bank account they needed me to fill out and send back the enclosed immigration questionnaire! which I completed and sent back within that week. After a couple of weeks of not hearing anything I called HMRC to be told they never received the questionnaire back, yet refused to take my answers over the phone which the first letter said I could do if I prefered. I received another questionnaire and this one was regarding immigration control (what this has to do with not having a bank account, I will never know!) I completed this and sent it back in the pre-paid envelope. Another couple of weeks passed and I opened a Post Office account to speed things along. I called HMRC to give them my account details and I was told that my money would be paid into my Post Office account once the application has been processed. I called HMRC today after still not receiving the grant and was told that the head office were now refusing my grant because they never received the first immigration questionnaire! Yet last week I was told everything was fine and being processed. The advisor told me there was nothing he could do, I have to write to the head office to appeal against the decision. Firstly I'am not an immigrant, I'am english and why they sent me those questionnaires because I didnt have a bank account is inappropriate. Secondly, they refused to take my answers over the phone when they didnt receive the first questionnaire which was an option if I prefered..now I have to appeal to head office. Do they actually respond or will I constantly be fobbed off?