Boring & prob on the wrong topic but need some help!

[Daisypops]

Ok, I'm confused...! Who is entitled to maternity grants? Everyone? I've got the form as I was told everyone is entitled to it but now I've read the instructions it looks like you only get it if you are on income support, jobseekers allowance etc? And I'm not. Or if you are getting working family tax credit or child benefit, which I'm not now, but will be applying once bub is here Also who is entitled to maternity allowance. I was given the form for this also but I am entitled to statutory maternity pay from work. Sorry its boring and sorry if its on wrong topic but I'm confused with it all. Please help.

If you get SMP then you can't claim Maternity Allowance

This site has more info on grants & other benefits here

Hi, everyone i believe is entitled to the maturnity allowence, its £108 a week or you can have it monthly. as for the grant im not entirly sure, but my friend who receieved it, wasnt working and wasnt receiving any benefits. Give the department that deals with it a call, they will be able to tell you what your entitled to.

Thanks blonde that link was really useful, but I now feel quiet angry about my lack of entitlement. I thought i may be entitled to child tax credit, but according to the site I am still classed as working, if I'm on maternity leave, this is stupid. After 6 months I will not have any income at all and will be relying on DH's income only. Is anyone else in this position? Is there anything I am entitled to (except child benefit)?

Thanks blonde. It looks like I'm only entitled to working tax credit an child benefit, I think. Best start saving properly!

Bubbly - once your income drops you may be able to claim the tax credits

I hope so blonde, that would make sense. I think I'll call the benefits agency to make further enquires.

Bubbly, unless your joint income with your dp/dh is OVER £66,000 a year then you will receive tax credits. There's a form you get after the baby's born and you have to send it off, they then assess you and tell you how much you will get a week. All they will want to know is how much you earned from April 2005 to April 2006 for you and your dh, according to your P60. Until your baby is one you also get the baby allowance which means it's about twice the ordinary rate.

FWIW, Dh earns just under £40k, I'm a SAHM and we get £25 a week tax credit for 2 children, aged 1 and 2.8. So it's definitely worth applying. Even if your joint income at the moment is over £66k, as soon as you finish your maternity leave you can tell them you now earn nothing and they will reassess you.

HTH a bit.

If you apply for tax credits as soon as the baby is born and find you are entitled you can then get the £500 surestart grant, but you only have up to three months after the birth to claim this.

Thanks AvaLou. The Surestart grant is for buying things for baby though isn't it? It would be more useful to have this before bub is born as opposed to after. Can I apply now and say I will be claiming child tax credit at a later date.

You can apply now, but they won't pay it until the tax credit entitlement is sorted. It's a pain I know, my friend has a two month old and has only just recieved hers.
She got a 0% credit card to buy her pram etc and is paying it off with the grant, is this an option for you?