Thread: income support benifit

Welcome to the site Michael.
Your post here is not totally clear and so we need some more info.
1.So you live in Scotland ?
2.She is living with you-is she or has she been on any other benefits in the past ?
3.Are any members of your household in reciept of any benefits ?

I will move this to a more appropriate forum for further help and advice.

Hi Michael.

Your daughter should be able to claim income support from now until 15 weeks after she gives birth. It is payable from 11 weeks before the expected date of birth but they will not backdate a claim further than the date of application.

The other benefit she could have applied for is ESA however she cannot claim both and ESA is only payable in the last 6 weeks of pregnancy up until 14 days after birth.

She can claim healthy start vouchers for her whilst she's pregnant and for baby after he or she is born (free milk and vitamins, free baby formula, free fruit and veg)

She would not be able to claim the Sure Start maternity Grant until she reaches the age of 18, and this has to be claimed between 11 weeks before the expected date of birth and up to 3 months after the birth. She can only receive this if she is on a "qualifying benefit". Is she going to be 18 before the baby reaches 3 months of age? Here is a claim form you can print: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/claim...f100_print.pdf

Once baby is born, she can also apply for the Healthy in pregnancy grant (£190) HM Revenue & Customs: Health in Pregnancy Grant - do you qualify?

and also once baby is born, Child Tax Credit: HMRC Tax Credits - Do I qualify?, What are tax credits

Scotland has no bearing on your benefits, other than which office you apply to. If you want to tell me the first 3 digits of your postcode, I can tell you which office would deal with the processing of your benefit and where to apply for the Sure Start Grant. (Both of these are very rarely your local jobcentre, although she can go there for advice) You can private message me if you prefer not to put the beginning of your postcode on the open forum.

Tax Credits are applied for by dialing 0845 300 3900 and requesting an application form. I think they may now also do claims over the phone, but not certain on that.

Child benefit is something she can also claim after baby is born. HM Revenue & Customs: Child Benefit: Introduction

This is a child benefit claim form which can be printed out and sent: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/forms/ch2-online.pdf

The healthy in pregnancy grant is applied for via your daughter's health professional.

She can claim child support via the CSA from the child's father, whether or not he has access and whether or not he chooses to be involved. If he refuses to pay they can deduct it directly from his wages or his benefit. Or she can ask them to do a calculation and set up a private arrangement to pay: CSA Homepage - Child Support Agency

Benefits are complex in some cases for under 18's. If you have any problems, ask the relevant office if you or your partner, as her parents can apply on her behalf.

You can find more info here: Expecting or bringing up children : Directgov - Money, tax and benefits

Hope this helps. If you are unsure about anything, just ask and I will help where I can.

Thanks Erika-a very good summary.
Michael your thread was already moved here to the income support forums-I saw that you had no problems with access.
Hopefully Erika has answered the points which will be of interest.
Since they have admitted it was they who lost the original forms-they are obviously aware of the dates of the first application-so your claim should run from there.
Feel free to ask if you need further advice-and keep us posted as soon as you know more.

Originally Posted by MARTIN3030

Thanks Erika-a very good summary.
Michael your thread was already moved here to the income support forums-I saw that you had no problems with access.
Hopefully Erika has answered the points which will be of interest.
Since they have admitted it was they who lost the original forms-they are obviously aware of the dates of the first application-so your claim should run from there.
Feel free to ask if you need further advice-and keep us posted as soon as you know more.

That is a very good point, Martin. If a claim form has been lost in the post, the DWP bear no responsibility.

However if it has been lost by courier (if you handed your form into a local Jobcentre and they forwarded it to the processing centre)
Or lost by the mail opening unit
Or lost by any DWP office

They have to take responsibility and date the claim from the date it was first received either in a DWP office or in the Mail Opening Unit.

In short, what Martin has said is correct. As they have admitted liability for losing your form, the "date of claim" should be the first date it was received in a Jobcentre or processing centre.