maternity benefits - the latest I have learned

Reading this thread has gotten me a bit worried. Just to check...

My husband and I are both Americans. We are both on a three-year visa to the UK. My visa says "no recourse to public funds." I have no FLR or anything else that I know of besides my visa and work permit. I have worked full-time at my company for a year in the UK, been paid in GBP and paid taxes on everything in the UK system.

Am I entitled to MA and SMP if I get pregnant here?

Eeek!

Don't worry, SMP and MA are not classed as public funds:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ukresidency/rightsandresponsibilities/publicfunds/

It might also be useful to link the thread on the Health in Pregnancy Grant here:

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=49877.msg793242#msg793242

Basically, you can still receive this if your partner is a British citizen but you'll likely have to phone and chase the payment.

Phew, so I should be ok with the MA and SMP. Thanks for calming me. And there are no other stipulations/rules that would prevent me from getting MA and SMP?

Aless--my husband and I are both American citizens. So that unfortunately doesn't apply.

Thanks,
Katy

forgive me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you can get both MA & SMP- isn't it one or the other?

forgive me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you can get both MA & SMP- isn't it one or the other?

You are not wrong.  It's one or the other.

You should get SMP from your employer if you have been working for them for a year and then fall pregnant.

Aless--my husband and I are both American citizens. So that unfortunately doesn't apply.

Sorry!  I clearly can't read, d'oh!

forgive me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you can get both MA & SMP- isn't it one or the other?

Yeah, my bad. I think my terminology is confused. My company has ordinary maternity leave for 26 weeks and then additional for 33 weeks. I'm assuming I'd be eligible for all of that regardless of my residency status if I am on a visa and work permit and have been here more than a year.

Yeah, my bad. I think my terminology is confused. My company has ordinary maternity leave for 26 weeks and then additional for 33 weeks. I'm assuming I'd be eligible for all of that regardless of my residency status if I am on a visa and work permit and have been here more than a year.

Should be, yes.  Read your contract because a lot of employers require you to go back to work for them for a set amount of time or you have to pay back all but the SMP part (that £109/week or whatever it's up to now).

Also, a lot of the employers offer full whack pay or 90% for a set period of time, then you go on just the SMP/£109/week for the additional time.

My wife and I are expecting our first child in April, she is American (known on UKY as Jamiem627) and I am British, I have worked and paid tax & NI contributions all my life. I am assuming I am fully entitled to ALL benefits and accept that my will not be, but also assume that she will be entitled to some benefits but never having asked for any benefits from the government before I\we have no idea where to start looking?

The internet is usually a great place to look but in this case it seems so complicated and difficult and designed to make you give up trying, when you factor in one partners nationality not being british. We have so many questions that I'm sure have been asked answered before but just don't know where to start looking? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated

Thank you in advance
Alb

Alb, is your wife on an ILR or FLR? If she's on an FLR you will have to claim the child benefit and tax credits in your name (after the baby is born). On either visa, your wife can claim maternity allowance/stat. maternity pay.  There are links & info on how to claim further up this thread, also some info about other maternity grants your wife may be eligible for.

Hi all,

Forgive me if this has been posted elsewhere, I am having a few probs getting the hang of searching this forum for specifics.  Anyhoo, I shall sally forth in case this is of any help to anybody.

Now, this is according to the people at the relevent departments - hence, not just something I was told by somebody who knew a guy who's wife new a woman etc.  Please do feel free to check with your own local office or relevent persons.

According to the people responsible for paying my Working Tax Credit, I will receive an amount for my US step daughter (here on dependent visa with her mother on spouse visa).  I have asked several people in the department to confirm this and explained how important it is that we are not seen to be trying to claim anything we are not entitled to.

The same goes for child benefit.  As above I have had this confirmed by those supposedly in the know.  Again, I must stress that this should be double checked by yourself. 

I initially posted this info in the wrong forum and it was moved here.  However, it seems to have been lost so I shall re-post in case it is of any use (and with todays updated info).

Basically, we found out a couple of weeks ago that I, as a UK born citizen, will receive child tax credits for my USC step daughter (here on dependent visa with hermother n a spouse visa).  However, I have also found out, a coupe of days ago, that we shall also be entitled to child benefits.  I am not sure if this is common knowledge here so forgive me if it is.

Now, today I have found out that my working tax credit award has been quite seriously delayed as the inland revenue try to match up my daughter with the child benefits department.  This they cannot do of course as we haven't claimed yet due to the assumption that child benefit would be classed as 'public funds'.  So, the upshot is, I will have to send the childs birth certificate and passport to the inland revenue - which I cannot do until they send me a letter requesting it, even though I know and they know that this info is all that is delaying my tax credit award.  Crazy eh?

Bear in mind that the child benefit can take up to 26 weeks for a foreign born child to process and that they will need the same original documents as the inland revenue.  So, if you find yourselves in this situation - i.e. USC married to a UKC with a USC child in the mix, make sure you apply for child benefit as soon as possible.  Call them first and find out exactly what you need to do, send them to correct documents via secure and recorded delivery, and then prepare to do the same for your working tax credits.

I hope all of this makes sense.  If not feel free to PM me.  It should be known that child benefit will only be backdated for three months, regardless of how long it takes to process the claim.  We are just glad to be entitled though to be honest.  Every little helps.  Please note - ALWAYS check all details yourself with the relevent body/office/department.  I am not an expert in these matters, just an everyday joe passing on my own experience to date.

Have a good christmas one and all.

Thank you this thread- it is very helpful as I've just found out we're pregnant! Waiting to hear back from the midwife as it's still early but this is helpful in making plans moving forward...


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Thank you this thread- it is very helpful as I've just found out we're pregnant! Waiting to hear back from the midwife as it's still early but this is helpful in making plans moving forward...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Congrats, girlwithapuck!

Time to change your username to girlwithababy!