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

[NameChanger22]

*manage it better.

I really should check before sending.

[CardinalCat]

Ignoring all of the wilful misreading of the OP's first post and bile towards her.....

I worried throughout my pregnancy as to how we would cope and we just did. Many of the costlier things that you may have done pre kids, you just don't do any more (or with the same frequency) and you soon find that you are actually managing fine.

Without getting into an argument as to what amounts to 'rich' or 'poor', this is all highly relative, and at no point did I think you were implying that you might starve, OP. I presumed you to mean that, after paying tax for so many years (at a higher amount than those who are being so snide to you about your relative wealth) you had imagined that you might get a fiver a week or whatever. If you are basing this on your own mum's experience then you are absolutely correct to have had that expectation. CB used to be a universal payment, before it became means tested.

I remember my mother saying that she didn't claim hers for any of her children as we didn't need it as a family, which is why I too had assumed it went to everyone if they chose to 'opt-in', and I was surprised when we didn't qualify for it. (like you, however- thankfully- we hadn't conceived a child in the blind faith that this payment would keep us afloat, so we were fortunate enough for it not to be a problem.)

[usernumbernine]

How can you have budgeted for child care costs when you don't know what the actual nursery you're going to send your child to costs?

That's like budgeting groceries from Lidl and then going to Marks and Sparks.

[TinselTwins]

Giddyaunt18 see replies to Flippity's similar post!

[user1490817136]

There must be ways you can cut back OP. Do you run a car? If you live in London that's rarely a necessity. Do you have a tv package that you have to pay for? Do either of you smoke? Do you have the latest smart phones rather than go sim only and use a cheaper mobile? If you shop at Ocado you could downgrade to Morrisons or Tesco.

The only reason I say these things is because we're a working family on less than you (with CB only) and we keep our outgoings low by considering the above.

[ComputerUserNotTrained]

If (and I don't for a second doubt they aren't) people are seeing £125 p/w for groceries, spending money, clothes etc etc for two adults and a baby as huge wealth, then we're fucked.

[KayTee87]

Hmmm...

Well I think you should have thought about all of this and investigated childcare costs etc before getting pregnant but anyway £46k isn't very much money for a family to be honest especially in London. You can't expect the government to bail you out when there's a lot of people worse off though.

[cathf]

This is going to end up with posters trying to outdo each other with how little their income is, isn't it?

[LIZS]

Were you working for the same employer when you got pg as now, if not you won't get smp but possibly ma instead.

[willothewisp17]

cathf oh stop it. a competition about who earns the least? totally, people really enjoy just scraping by and bragging about it.

[BadKnee]

The " we are worse off than you" posts don't really mean anything.

The posters who say they are supporting two kids on £12- 15k more than likely get Housing benefit - worth up to £12 k per year depending on size of flat etc.Also possibly Council Tax benefit, (worth another £1k a year perhaps?)

They will possibly be paying very little income tax whereas OP will be losing a chunk of her £46 k on tax and £12k on rent plus full Council Tax and fares for work.

She also has to pay childcare whereas someone on benefits does not have to pay it and those working can get Tax credits.

I remember being utterly stunned when I actually realised that my childcare bill equaled my salary - and there was no help. At all. My fares took me in to a loss-making situation.

I really do think it is time to look at the financial situations of everybody, in and out of work, with and without children, in London and Cities and in cheaper areas.

Work has to be worth it.

[Meekonsandwich]

Gutted is a bit overdramatic op!
If you wanted a small bit if help how would it make any difference??
I could see how £50-100 could make a difference when you're earning £800 a month on minimum wage after tax, but not on your income.

I know people making it work on £1000 a month while their rents are 500-600.
I chose not to have a baby when I was in a similar situation.

Is there the option to relocate somewhere cheaper within the companies???

[Giddyaunt18]

I gave up work for a few years. We lived on one salary. ZERO childcare costs, downside was 1 car so loads of walking,cheap UK holidays and having to be thrifty. Still not poor in my eyes, they were very happy years. Thing is, we knew this is what we would do so only bought a house that one salary could support. I don't think many couples factor this in.

[YogaAndRum]

I genuinely don't understand this mindset. Why did you think you'd get 'a little something'? The government's not your auntie, it doesn't get you a present because you had a baby.

You said exactly what I was thinking.

[babybat]

OP - look into not just how much your workplace nursery costs, but what your payment options are. You'll probably be able to accrue childcare vouchers while you're on maternity leave, as will your partner, but some places allow you to pay fees as a salary sacrifice, which isn't capped, unlike the vouchers. This will effectively cut the cost of your nursery fees by around 20% as it reduces the amount of your salary you're paying tax on.

[roarityroar]

This is £46k household not individual income, so essentially £23k each. That's really not much in London/SE!!

[PencilsInSpace]

The new tax free childcare scheme might be useful if you can't get employer childcare vouchers.

[Ellisandra]

Poppy I didn't say I was surprised I know loads of people on here don't work out a budget before TTC. I can't get my head round any of them!

[DeanaPiana]

why don't you understand that what your saying sounds like unimagible luxury for people trapped in poverty! They'ld feel like a millionaire if it was "just" nice holidays they couldn't afford!

Becuase the poster who said she would feel like a millionaire isn't trapped in poverty and claims she is very comfortable and goes on holiday...

[usernumbernine]

I don't get housing benefit.

I don't get council tax benefit.

I don't have child care costs now, admittedly, but when mine were young enough to need childcare I didn't get help with that either.

I may not pay much income tax, but I still lose a chunk of my salary and I can't afford the £100 a month it would be to pay into a pension scheme.

[usernumbernine]

I mean a chunk of my salary in tax/nat ins. I still pay tax. I'm a tax payer.

[Giddyaunt18]

OP I think it would make sense to move to a more affordable area so you can enjoy the next few years more without the financial worry.

[NotMyPenguin]

Hi OP, you should get 15 free hours of childcare a week from when your little one is 3, rising to 30 free hours of childcare a week if both you and your partner are working.

I understand the pressures of living in an expensive city.

The child benefit is a nice little extra too.

[NameChanger22]

I for one wasn't bragging about how little our income is. I was just pointing out that 46k is a lot of money and you shouldn't need extra help when others live on a quarter of that amount. It's very grabby to expect everyone else to support your luxury lifestyle.

[GaelicSiog]

Personally, I would rather that "little something" went to families in dire need. The government isn't made of money. And I say that as someone who had no budget for their baby and just had to get on with it.