To be gutted we're not entitled to any financial help?

[DeanaPiana]

Myself and DH have a combined income of £46000.

I have done numerous calculators and apparently, I am not entitled to Child Tax Credits or Working Tax Credits when baby gets here.

A few sources have even said I shouldn't go for Child Benefit as it wouldn't be worth it in tax returns

We didn't budget for a baby thinking we would get extra help to finance them etc, but I thought we were entitled to at least a little something and I have to say, I feel gutted. We live in a high cost area, London, and rent here too. We want to move out into a more rural/outer area in the next 2 years max but that just doesn't seem possible now. No way we can afford to save that much. We don't even have a lot of outgoings. Our rent is over 1K a month and that is considerablly cheap here.

Just doesn't seem fair at all

[ComputerUserNotTrained]

Exactly, Red. 2*£23k would be what, £3k a month between two? Not including pension deductions. So make that £1.3k each p/m.

£2.6k, minus a grand p/m rent, £150 CT etc etc. Leaves approx. one take home salary a month for food, spends etc etc. Obviously might also like to take childcare into account. And commuting costs.

OP isn't a loaded as some people might think.

[Mombie2016]

Right there with you usernumbernine

How much budgeting have you done if you don't even know how much Nursery costs

[DeanaPiana]

I shop in Aldi usernumbernine

I am sorry you are going through this. I really am. I know it was probably very unreasonable of me to even raise an eyebrow at no extra help (except child benefit).

For what it's worth, I am against most benefit slashing and hate that the poorer seem to only get poorer.

Again, looking back my original post is quite thoughtless. I grew up on a rough council estate with a single mother, trying her hardest to get by with just me as her child back then. I know it isn't easy.

[Mombie2016]

computer Really? 1.3K after bills is a fucking HUGE amount of money.

[PoppyFleur]

PushingThru Exactly.

I think the OP is clear now that expecting tax credits is not reasonable however the level of vitriol on this thread is unnecessary.

[AudTheDeepMinded]

When I had ds1 the government gave me £125 'health in pregnancy' grant. Just like that, no need for proof of what ou spent it on and everyone was given it. My flabber was ghasted, I bought a lampshade with it. No wonder there is no money in the pot now if that was the order of the day in 2010!

[MissTerry2r]

Having a child you didn't budget for because you thought expected financial help from the state to support you?
What a selfish decision derived from a strong sense of entitlement.
Combined 46k income? Maybe you could spare one of those selfish thoughts for families who have always been self supporting on far less and later found themselves in the economical downturn and made redundant or worse their employer was declared bankrupt and they are fighting to receive a single penny? The state won't even help in the latter event as they are legally entitled to what they are owed and seen as still having an income, albeit pending with no definite knowledge of when or if it will be received!
Having a child should not be a decision made just because its the done thing. Would you buy a house with the intention of giving up work in 9 months, signing on and expecting housing benefit to pay?
And yet we say theres a snowflake generation of young people with a great sense of entitlement. the mind boggles.

[manicinsomniac]

Do your jobs tie you to London specifically?

I'm a single parent, earn £42000 and have three children. Only entitled to child benefit and I feel, not affluent exactly, but certainly comfortable. Can't afford a house deposit or anything but we have holidays and my children do expensive activities.

Living in London is my ultimate dream but it's a pipe dream. No way could I afford it. On 2 kids fewer and 4K extra you would probably be fine. But life wold be a lot easier out of London. Doesn't need to be far. I'm 35 minutes away by train.

[StarryIllusion]

I support two kids on 12k. Yes I get help. Swap if you feel so hard done by.

[Tomorrowillbeachicken]

You are very naive to think you would get help at 46k tbh.

[Goldfishjane]

I live in London
I understood what the op meant with that specific sentence
Still think this is a crazy and quite insensitive complaint.

[usernumbernine]

1.3k after bills is a massive chunk of money.

Try having to do a grocery shop for 3 adults (well 2 teens and an adult) on £20 a week.

I'm back a work now, and I don't even earn 1.3k before bills, never mind fucking after them.

[Astro55]

Today 14:15 usernumbernine

Forty fucking six thousand pounds a year is a good income. That's average wage ish for both of you and a lot more than I and plenty more like me earn every year.

Well you're a bundle of laughs!

So OP and her DH work and get paid, no doubt worked hard at school to gain qualifications to make their life easier in the future?

Why are you so resentful of this?

Maybe if nobody worked then we would have the NHS or beable to buy food or have tonmakenour own clothes

Your vitriol is aimed at the wrong person and suggest you speak to an MP if you are so miffed!

OPnos a typical working person - nothing more

[flownthecoopkiwi]

cathf completely this

[Increasinglymiddleaged]

Some people think everyone gets them. My ex boss made some comment about me getting CTC..... I was .

[Reow]

@DeanaPiana I think people might be being slightly harsh...

£46k would be a fine joint income - if you did not live in London.

Where we live is only very fractionally cheaper than London and rents can be £2k a month.

I know it's not as simple as upping sticks North where you could afford a 3 bed for the price of a 1 bed in London, and I know that a hell a lot of people are on a far lower income. But in the SE/London once you deduct mortgage/rent, utilities etc you can be left with bugger all on what in a different part of the country would be a great wage.

I don't think she's saying she expected a handout for having a baby, I think she's just voicing that it's a struggle to make ends meet - especially in London.

[Goldfishjane]

Oh x post
Glad you can see you were thoughtless
Hopefully a step to being thoughtful.....!

[Flippetydip]

I'm intrigued by everyone saying children are expensive. Surely they're as expensive as you make them?

We had one income only when our DC were babies/toddlers with no maternity leave for me I'd left a job overseas to come back to the UK. Everything without exception for our children was bought second hand (other than clothes/toys we got as presents when they were born_ - it really wasn't that expensive.

Anyway, I appear to have missed the entire point of the thread - as you were.

[usernumbernine]

Astro take that insinuation that I didn't work hard at school and get qualifications and go elsewhere with it.

I have good A levels, a degree and professional qualifications.

Being in a poorly paid job doesn't mean you didn't work at school and have no work ethic.

[Ellisandra]

Why are you just wondering how much your on site nursery charges?

I can't get my head around you TTC without already knowing this.

And who told you that it wasn't worth applying for CB? And why rely on them when a 10 second google would have told you that you were under the threshold?

Did you plan this (financially) at all?

If you had, you wouldn't be expecting hand outs now

[ComputerUserNotTrained]

Mombie £1.3k minus several hundred pounds p/m nursery fees, and commuting costs. It's doable, but it's not exactly the life of Riley.

[Waggamamma]

£46k income and you expected to be able to claim benefits 😂 to help raise your child? Why exactly?

We have household income of £32k, we both work, 2 dc, childcare, 2 cars, mortgage in a reasonably nice area, modest holidays, train commute - we don't struggle, we're very comfortable. Although do need to plan bigger purchases carefully. No tax credits, although we do get child benefit. I feel very fortunate.

On £46k we'd feel like millionaires!

[DeanaPiana]

I can't get my head around you TTC without already knowing this

Because I didn't work there and we were desperate to conceive. I didn't just decide to 'try for a baby' on a whim.

I have a rough idea how much it costs and when I calculated the expenses of a child, calculated for childcare of the most expensive type so I wouldn't fall short. Just because I don't know what that particular nursery charges, doesn't mean I have calculated for childcare in my budget.

[muckypup73]

Move to a different area whereyour rent will be much lower? like up North