Benefits whilst on SMP -- please help!!

A question about : Benefits whilst on SMP -- please help!!

Hello,

First so sorry for long thread. I have never claimed any benefit before and have lots of questions so have put as much info as possible into this!!

I am struggling to budget for my maternity leave that starts 31st Decemeber 2012. I am trying to figure how long I can afford to have off work you see.
I have opted for work benefits that run 1st Jan-31st December 2013 that will reduce my salary through salary sacrifice.

More info about me:

I am 24 years old. My 1st baby is due 23rd January and my Maternity starts 31st December. I would like 12 months maternity but depends on if I can afford it. My work is full time and 37 hours per week.

I live in eccles in the salford council area, I am a private tenant in a 2 bed property at Ј475 per month and annual council tax bill of Ј776 (discounted by 25%). I am going to register on the housing for a cheaper property once baby is born.

For tax purposes I would claim as a single parent as it is just me and my soon to be here daughter.

My childcare costs will be nil in 2013/14 due to childcare vouchers I will accrue jan-dec 2013= Ј243* 12= Ј2,916
and my childcare cost will be approx 15 weeks if I return to work full time in Jan, the vouchers cover for 18 weeks childcare just in case I have to return to work early. weekly nursery cost Ј160.

My Income over the my maternity

2012/13 - Tax year- estimated total salary Ј24,700. (9 months at Ј2017 and 3 month at Ј1757)

Maternity Start Date 31st December 2012.
Jan-March 2013 - 6 weeks higher SMP and 7 weeks full pay. So Ј1757 pm x 3 = Ј5,271

2013/14 Tax year

My Salary is Ј24,931
Sunshine (Ј930.46)
Tots (Ј2,916)
New Salary: Ј21,084

****From April 1st until 30th September: I will get 26 weeks Lower SMP Ј135.45 = Ј3,522

****From 1st October- 30th December - nil pay

Whilst on Maternity I am entitled to up to 31st December:

25 days holiday pay = Ј2,027
10 additional days due to salary sacrifice pay = Ј811
Upto 10 KIT days = Ј811

Total: Ј3,649

So from April 1st until 30th Dec 2013 my total Maternity and entitlements per above come to Ј7,171.

From Jan 2014 - I will have stopped childcare vouchers as I think I will be better of in 2014/15 with child tax credits, my childcare costs will be 47 weeks @ Ј160 = Ј7,520. I will still take salary sacarifice for the extra time off. Estimating inflation into this I presume my Jan 2014 Salary to be Ј25,000

RTW Bonus 6 weeks pay from Ј21084 = Ј2,432

Jan- March 2014 Salary (Ј25,000/12)*3 =Ј6,250

So when I return to work my Salary will be = Ј8,682

Total Income for 2013/14 is Ј15,853

I will also be paying 3% Pension Contributions from April 2013 on my pay (exc bonus)

Estimated pension cont : (15853-2432= 13421* 3%) Ј403

Please could you help me with my Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit and Housing Benefit? When does Salford come into Universal Credit. It could be I am unable to afford the full 12 months off work you see and really need help budgeting for this but universal credit has made this very difficult to calculate and I am unsure as to how Housing benefit entitlement works?

I wanted to know my entitlements to Housing benefit and Council tax benefit If any between April 2013 and Decemeber 2013. Is this based on a yearly assessment of income of month by month basis?
When I enter my total income of Ј15,853 with pension deductions of Ј403, Salford online calculated advises me no benefit is payable.

Is the full Ј135.45 of weekly SMP classed as income for HB and tax credit calculations?

How will Universal credit affect me?

I wanted to use my holiday pay when my pay hit nil pay from October, but without entitlement to housing benefit I will prob have to take the holiday pay earlier to cover my rent.

If I returned to work 1 month earlier and my pay increased a furthur Ј1757 how would this affect me? I didnt want to return to early with the cost of childcare.

I think my tax credits will be Ј69.69 weekly, but have no idea with all the welfare reform?

Apologies if I have repeated my questions more than once above.

Really interested in your response.

Thanks

Laura

Best answers:

• any advice? or help as to where I can seek advice?
• How much is the father paying?
• Unfortunatly babys father was made redundant 18 months ago, has enrolled onto a fulltime electricians course, has barely any income and works renovating a house for charity due to friends close family member who had passed, he does this for free. it was presumed he would get a job and move in with me but sometimes life just doesnt happen how you plan it too. So the answer is I'll be lucky if I get anything monetry in the short term but at least he is still around for support.
  In the long run he will work and move in with me but i dont expect anything from him at the moment as i fully understand his situation.
• Probably best to make appointment with local CAB - but even they may not be able to answer some of your more detailed questions. Details and timing of universal credit still uncertain AFAIK.
• On that salary you will get no wtc and no housing benifit and some child tax credit.
• hello laurlou
  You can try all the different permutations by using www.turn2us.org.uk. their benefits check will allow you to add lots of different scenarios to enable you to find the best option for you.