Maternity pay/ tax credits..

[Vikkileeds]

Hi,

I am just planning ahead here!! Is it fairly straight forward to claim maternity pay from the government? And are there any conditions to who can claim it?

Are childminders eligible for tax credits? And how does this work?

I have never claimed a thing in my life so new to all this, is there anything else one can claim? Child benefit??

Thanks in advance.