to use my health in pregnancy grant on health in pregnancy

[TheFruitWhisperer]

Im feeling terribly guilty. I was planning to spend mine on a trip to a spa or salon, where I could have a Baby Bump massage and mani/pedi and just relax for a bit. Ive found these things quite cheaply, £60 up to about £90, so Id have cash left over for a few baby clothes and such.

Talking with my friends, it seems that nearly all of them saved the money for baby. I had considered it, but the big purchases are already sorted.

Am I being incredibly selfish? I suddenly feel like I am?!

zapostrophe - they are half price in tesco right now so I reckon you could buy 100 boxes which is about 3600 jaffa cakes...yummy

Your title sums it up. I know some Doulas are charging £190 so that people can use their HiP for that, which I think is a valid use of it as is getting some pampering. But there is no rules on what you must spend it on so if a dishwasher is going to make your life easier, spend it on that. I'm sure in the grand scheme you'll have spent £190 on healthy things anyway

It is being scrapped in April next year which I agree with.

I'll be using mine for feeding bras - exciting eh!

It has been scrapped - no more HiP grants after Jan 2011.
I will get mine but agree it's very daft - 25 weeks is far too late in pg for it to have any effect. I'm spending mine on swimming sessions, a compromise between healthy and relaxing, most people seem to spend it on baby stuff or just put it into general funds.

Didn't claim mine as I just couldn't justify it to myself when I knew I didn't need it and the paperwork to complete it just takes up more gov.t/civil service time and money on top.

Glad it's being scrapped, but otherwise - no spend it on what you like! And yes, keeping your cortisol levels down is a good use of the money and buying baby things seems to defeat the point to me. I'd say you have it right not them!

hmm. I thought it was for a new handbag!

Im spending mine on a decent double bed and mattress, well its going towards it, i see that as health in pregnancy as i currently sleep on a sofa bed with a thin mattress, also will be giving birth in bed? at home.

YANBU tho I agree it's a daft grant and a good idea it's being scrapped. I bought a buggy earlier in the year so mine will be balancing the books a bit after that. My MW told me the other day that a friend of hers who is a MW in Chelsea said that around there it's known as the 'Boden bonus' Chances are it'll be while before you get to spoil yourself again so if you can, do!

at Boden bonus!!

LolaKnickes, you are very wrong. It is not for a new handbag, it is for a new Lin&Leo changing bag.

yabu I have used mine on dove underarm treatments as i realised that mine were a disgrace and that my dd would be appalled by them

It's being scrapped - thank God. Pay for your own spa visits and leave public funds for things that really matter. Jesus wept.

so agree with you BA and STW - ridiculous vote winner peddled in by labour which we can't afford and clearly isn't being used for its intended purpose - hmm now that will be why i'm not getting a pay increase then

No, go for it - I spent mine on booze and fags!

Just joking of course but I never got this in my first 2 pregnancies and am not about to go down to tescos and buy £190 of fruit and veg (have a pretty healthy diet I hope), we have all the baby equipment we could possibly need so I am considering treating myself to a new handbag

Pensioners still die of cold in the winter in this country, and yet we are giving women money to go to spas with. Country = fucked. Glad it's being scrapped.

Yes, but those pensioners probably have £20 notes stuffed in the airing cupboard, or in jam jars, or wherever else old people find to keep money (they all do it). You ould give them a small fortune and some of them would still sit and refuse to turn on their long since condemned three bar fire.

it is a bit weird that it's not means tested like everything else (that I can't get). I'm not surprised it's being scrapped. It would make more sense to give supermarket vouchers or something during the pregnancy wouldn't it?.

Do people on benefits still get that £500 maternity grant to buy their bugaboos with, I mean spend on essential items? I was always of that.

LolaKinickers - WTF are you talking about?

I was talking about secunda's point about the poor cold old people. They might die, but it's not for lack of cold weather payments. Every old person I have ever known, personally and professionally, keeps cash stuffed in odd places while seemingly living on the bread line. Off to pick my handbag now....

I think I'm still spending it on a baby bump massage. I do think that counts as health in pregnancy. And my feet hurt. So a pedicure too. And if it comes as a package deal with a manicure, that too.

Sorry if it upsets some, but it was a government initiative. I cant help if I and others benefit from that.

I don't understand why this isn't a means tested benefit. I don't need £190, particularly not if I am being patronised and told to spend it on fresh fruit and veg - lots of women do need it I am sure, but not a lot of us on here all going for pedicures and spending it on bump massages.

My mate and I were thinking of spending it on vodka and B&H and then sending a pic of us both heavily pregnant, drinking and smoking, to the tax office. We reckon that as long as they're stupid enough to give this out to middle class mummies who don't need it, we'll go and spend it on stupid stuff