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what am i entitled to?

13 replies

Gem1355 · 22/12/2004 01:00

Hi i'm new to this thread,
i'm 25+3 weeks pregnant with first baby and at it all alone,
i'm not sure what i'm entitled to and how to go about getting it?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
cab · 22/12/2004 01:09

Gem sorry I can't help. You might want to post again tomorrow when there are more folk around - but let them know if you're working/ whatever.

wobblystarryknicks · 22/12/2004 07:46

gem - the best thing to do is go to your local job centre, as they can give you info on all the benefits you'd be entitled to and tell you all the (numerous) forms you need to fill in to get them.

Basically though, if you're a lone mum with very little or no income you should be entitled to;

*Income Support (to make up your income)
*Child Benefit (all parents are entitled to this)
*Child Tax Credit (given to all parents with an income of under about £58k, but it gets higher the lower your income)
*A one-off Maternity Grant of £500 (if you're on Income Support, or certain other benefits, to help you buy baby stuff)
*Milk tokens (given if you get certain benefits, like Income Support. Can be used for milk for you to drink before birth, then for milk for you if you breastfeed or formula for the baby. Given until the child is 5, unless you come off the qualifying benefits.)

Then there's also Working Tax Credit and the childcare allowance of working tax credit which will help you if/when you go back to work after the baby is born.

I think you've until a couple of months after the baby is born to claim these but some of them can't be backdated, or not for very long, so the sooner you claim, the sooner you'll get the benefits and the less you'll miss out on.

Would highly recommend doing it all through the jobcentre - they should have a lone parent advisor to tell you all the details and mine has been fantastic. The tax credits can be a nightmare and he's helped me put in claims and chase them up when I've needed to.

HTH

karenanne · 22/12/2004 07:54

hi gem theres a great site which should help you out it did me when me and ex split ,its pretty accurate too.its
\link{www.entitledto.co.uk}
i hope the link works havent done one before lol
good luck and failing that the jobecentre will help as others have said

wobblystarryknicks · 22/12/2004 07:55

link

wobblystarryknicks · 22/12/2004 07:56

that link didn't go very well!!!!

this should work!!

wobblystarryknicks · 22/12/2004 07:57

Odd, I'm doing it right but its not working

last time!

wobblystarryknicks · 22/12/2004 07:58

Right, finally worked, didn't need the www. in front of the entitled to!!!

karenanne · 22/12/2004 08:06

lol thank you wobbly im obviously not as good on computers as i thought i was lol

wobblystarryknicks · 22/12/2004 08:09

Lol - well it took me 3 tries before I realised what was up!!! Links are awkward b*ggers sometimes!!

Gem1355 · 22/12/2004 12:13

Thanx, i'll give them a try,
also if i claim for benefits, and i don't go to
daddy! will that effect them?

OP posts:
wobblystarryknicks · 22/12/2004 12:14

Do you mean if you claim for benefits and don't want to try and get maintenance?

Tinker · 22/12/2004 12:18

\link{http://www.oneparentfamilies.org.uk/1/lx3x1olx10x1/0/0/221204/0/0//Lone_Parents.htm|One Parent Families} Try these. Lots of advise on here. think you'll need to register with them though.

Tinker · 22/12/2004 12:19

Try again!

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