Child Tax Credits & Child Benefits...what.!!!

[mumtobe23]

Hi all,
My partner & I work full time, when I go on maternity leave i will recieve the SMP for around 26 weeks before I will go back to work.
My question is what is the difference between child tax credit & child benefit??
And can I claim both at the same time whilst being on Mat leave?
I have worked full time since I was 16 and I know there is a stigma attached to getting benfits, but I feel I should claim all I can whilst on maternity leave and not getting my full monthly money.

This will be my first baby. thanks x

OK, I think.....

You receive SMP for 39 weeks (definitely!)

Child tax credit is for working parents and allows you to claim tax back if your household taxable income is less than £66K if child is under one or £58K otherwise.

Child benefit is paid to all parents regardless and you will receive it. It's about £20 a week.

There's absolutely nothing to feel bad about - these aren't even really benefits, they are just designed to help hard working people be able to live. SMP is rubbish - it's only double what I normally pay in NI!

So yes, all can be claimed while on Mat leave.

Brilliant thank you! xx

If you're due after april there also a one off payment of £190 which can be claimed via your midwife. Don't be embarassed to clam, have you got your free prescription stuff sorted aswell??

The child benefit is not income dependant and will continue, and the child tax credits are paid depending on yur yearly incomes, as so may possily continue if you are in a position to claim.

and if you return to work you may be entitled to working tax credit as wel, entitledto.co.uk is good for arough idea but not always accurate!

Hi Doris- could you tell me what that one off payment is for?
Thanks.

"Child tax credit is for working parents and allows you to claim tax back if your household taxable income is less than £66K if child is under one or £58K otherwise."

not entirely true. you can get a working tax credit element to it but child tax credits is the income related bit to it. We get a very small amount as I don't work and DH works hard but we still get some.
Child benefit is a set amount per child that anyone can claim.

Go for both and see what you get

ps after april 4th its a healthy eating grant and your mw will sort it

If you go on to www.entitledto.co.uk and enter all your financial details (do it as tho you're already on SMP) and it will tell you what you can claim.

sorry to sort of ambush this thread but i dont work but dp does but because of his income we just managed to recieve housing benifit only thing is everything is in his name child ben and child tax! when i had DS i had no money come in at all (maternity pay etc) and wasnt entitled to maternity grant as we didnt claim housing benifit then. now we do claim it and im hopefully pregnant ( ) i dont know if i ll get maternity grant cos its in dp name! he ll only get £60 per week paternity pay so i really need advice

okley could you put it in bullet points. My brains cotton wool and Ican't get my head around your situation

Why is child benefit in his name? Very bad move if you are not working as if you claim child benefit then you get Home Responsibility allowance (which counts towards your state pension).

I would change the child benefit for this reason alone to be honest, unless he is a SAHD and needs the child benefit in his name for this reason.

Can I just add that the partner (if either) who stays at home should be the one to claim child benefit as that can protect your state pension in later life as there are credits given towards your NI record.

thanx we didnt realize that!!! im no good with these things as you can see!!! and hense it being in his name!!! im really nervous bout putting things in my name but i dont know why!! im silly really to do it, and DP should have thought more about it too!

To correct the info from a much earlier post, Child Tax credit is NOT just for working parents, see quote from HMRC website below:

'Child Tax Credit

Child Tax Credit is paid to you if you are responsible for at least one child or young person who normally lives with you. You don't have to be working to claim Child Tax Credit.'

www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/who-qualifies/what-are-taxcredits.htm#2

Child Tax credit is means tested, Child Benefit is a universal amount (though possibly not for much longer)

The rules for ctc are apparently changing as of April this year. Anyone with a household income of upwards of 40k will no longer be entitled and they are ending the "baby under one year" element. Check Direct.gov for info.

The health in pregnancy grant stops very soon - your due date needs to be BEFORE April, not after. Check with your mw. Sorry if this has already been posted, got baby brain!

well confused as to what i can claim, im on MA as was only employed as a temp my husband works full time but doesnt earn a great deal can someone tell me what i should apply for as money is supper tight and we need some help

izebhigie - you would be best to start your own thread asking for advice as you have posted on a two year old thread and may not get an answer.

Not sure whether this is what everyone is talking about but myself and my husband have £234 taken out of our salary at source and paid direct to our nursery, this means that we are not taxed on £468 per month, you dont actually feel extra money in your pocket but it means that you are paying less tax (got to be a good thing) and the nursery fee isnt such a horrendous shock every month as some of it has already been paid (yes, by me i know but it feels better this way).

Is this what everyone meant