Pregnancy money grant?

[beckiebee04]

Is there Anything you can claim why pregnant? I work full time but heard people can get about £200 or so why pregnant to help with costs?

[snickers251]

I think you may be talking about the health in pregnancy grant but they've stopped that now.

[MissSlackPants84]

I don't know anything about this. Having worked in benefits for years I know about the Sure Start Maternity Grant but you need to be on certain means tested benefits for this.

[meditrina]

gov.uk info pages here. They include a list of qualifying benefits.

[nc060]

I work with people on benefits, basically if you are(like me) silly enough to work full time and pay your way in life so other people can live on benefits there is no help at all to you! Apologies if I offend anyone here but I think that is pretty rubbish, I am not on massive wages and the cost of "stuff" you need to prepare for a baby in your home will absolutely skint me, we can afford the cost of raising our child it is all the stuff before that is the problem. HOWEVER, if you were on benefits you would get £500 just for popping a baby out! xx

[GracieLoo]

It's only for your first baby I think. It's a big of a sweeping statement to say people on benefits pop out a baby and get £500. I think many of them would prefer a stable, loving relationship, good mental/physical health or what other reason they may be on benefits. Also you are entitled if you are single, expecting first baby and working p/t or low wage, so not always the unemployed.

[MummytoMog]

I got the health in pregnancy grant in my first pregnancy - I spent it on NCT classes. But that was years ago.

nc060 - you don't really need to spend lots. My first child had a lot of second hand stuff, all that was new was her mattress and her car seat from what I remember, and new bottles (which we ended up not using). Everything else was from eBay or Gumtree and thoroughly washed. We bought something most weeks to spread the cost out over the pregnancy. Quite a bit of it was offset by the not going out and drinking/smoking costs in those days.

[Roseandmabelshouse]

If you work then I suspect you don't get a sausage '

[ksrwr]

what snickers said

[AlwaysDancing1234]

nc060 I agree a bit with what you have said, if you work you get bugger all! I have actually had more than one relative/family friend telling me I'm stupid to take on a temp job while I'm pregnant as if I stay unemployed I will get a grant to buy baby stuff and various benefits. I looked in to it and they are right! I would actually be better off financially if I hadn't taken the temp job and claimed all the benefits, it's just daft!

[beckiebee04]

I know I'm a nurse n still work 50 plus hour a week n if I was on benefits I'd get more than my actual wage, just wondered if there was anything to help those who do work

[TwittyMcTwitterson]

When I was pregnant I got nothing but my friends who both didnt work got some grant (think £250 or 500) and other various bits. It did piss me off!

[Clargo55]

There's a sure start maternity grant (£500). Have a quick google it will come up with how to check if you are eligible.

Also don't forget you will be entitled to child benefit.

[Roseandmabelshouse]

Not everyone gets child benefit.

[greentshirt]

I thought that rose but I just looked it up and everyone can get it but if you or your partner earns over £50k you claim it differently and there's some kind of tax implication/cost rather than it being a benefit. Looks complicated but the gov website seems to indicate you should to get your child a national insurance number when they are 16! Have literally only had a very quick look now but need to do more research as I had assumed we just didn't claim as we are over the threshold.

Does anyone know what's best to do?

[Clargo55]

Nor did I say that everyone could.

The OP stated that she would get more money in benefits than her current role. I assumed this meant she earns under the 50K threshold.

[Roseandmabelshouse]

I think it's best not to claim. If you do you have to pay it back

[TwittyMcTwitterson]

Rose, what do you mean?

[mumofthemonsters808]

There is a Sure Start £500 maternity grant but you have to be on benefits to qualify( Income Support, JSA)

[PenguinsEatSpinach]

Evees - If you earn over the relevant threshold for child benefit you can still actually claim it. It's just that the higher earner then has to fill in a tax return for the tax year and their next tax code will be adjusted to repay it that year. So you basically still receive the child benefit for 2013/2014 and repay it in 2014/2015, or whatever.

So people in that situation have a choice whether to claim and repay or just to opt out of receiving it. There are various pros and cons to both.

[meditrina]

It's best to claim, unless you can afford to forego the NI credits.

[PenguinsEatSpinach]

AFAIK, you can still claim child benefit and elect not to receive payments, which protects your pension credit. So different to just not filling in the form.

[TwittyMcTwitterson]

But the earning threshold is around 50k each isn't it? That's twice the national average income so not something most people have to worry about?!

Only the government would suggest you claim something one year to pay it back the next

[tethersend]

"I work with people on benefits, basically if you are(like me) silly enough to work full time and pay your way in life so other people can live on benefits there is no help at all to you!"

But if everyone followed your example nc060, you'd be out of a job

[greentshirt]

Evees I asked about it because it does affect me!

Penguins do you know where the best place is to go for advice? im still employed so will be maintaining my own private/company pension. Would this just affect us if I leave work?

I was more concerned about the seeming lack of existence of my child to the government if we dont claim, need to find out more!

[PenguinsEatSpinach]

I don't know masses. There were loads of threads when it came in though that might still be easily searchable for resources?

We already had our two children when it came in, so nothing changed and DH did a tax return to repay it. I will have to work out what happens with the current bump.