single unemployed & pregnant with baby No2 benefits question....

[BookMummy]

My DD is 12 this year and I'm 4 months pregnant with baby No2. I became unemployed not long before finding out I was expecting. The father has run a mile making it very clear that although he has money he'll only be paying what ever CSA make him pay and even then he'll make it as difficult as possible. I had assumed (stupidly )that I would qualify for a Maternity Grant if I hadn't found work before the birth. Given the fact I have an operation next week and may be unable to work for a few weeks after that and the fact that the prospects of employing someone who will be taking a tone of Maternity leave at the end of the year isn't dreadfully appealing to employers I think it's unlikely I'll find a job It turns out that Maternity Grants are only paid for the first child or if all other children are over 16. Well given that DD is almost 12 and almost in secondary school I have non of her baby things and am only just getting by on what JSA and tax credits I get. Is there anything I can apply for to help with towards the costs of basic items like a cot, pram etc... or is my benefits likely to go up at all in the pregnancy? I'm terrified of how I'll afford even baby grows let alone other things without some sort of help. All advice would be welcome.

Is there any way you can make a little money? Offering babysitting or ironing services for example. Maybe place an add on gumtree or in your local shops?
Obviously the father should be helping but doesn't sound like that's going to happen.
Once the baby is here get straight onto CSA.

Hi SoonToBeSix looking at www.family-action.org.uk I don't think I fit into any of their priority areas. I live in the wrong location and I'm not under 25 , over 60, disabled etc... but it was a good idea. I'm surprised by how little i could find about this online. Questioning if Sure Start would help with anything given the grant that use to be available to all pregnant women on benefits and now isn't is infact called the Sure Start Maternity Grant :(

There's a save the children scheme for baby equipment. I'll try and find details

Really Book am sorry I thought they helped any struggling family.
Don't be confused with sure start centres ( children's centres) and the sure start maternity grant they are totally separate.

How recently did you stop working (you said it was not long before you found out you were expecting).

You could be eligible for Maternity Allowance if you have worked at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before the week your baby is due - so if for example you gave up work the week you found out you were pregnant you would already be eligible. If you gave up working say six weeks before you found out then see if you can get 6 weeks worth of temping or similar.

www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/eligibility

Also join parent groups for your local Facebook area and ask if anyone is having a clear out. I gave away several bags of free clothes and equipment to people who were in need.

NinetysixpercentI have been looking for almost anything re work despite bleeding through the first part of the pregnancy and now being unwell and having to have an operation on my cervix in a few days I have ben looking and applying for work the whole time, I'm not one of those people who don't want to work. but I hate to say without committing benefit fraud (you have to declare everything you earn and lose it pound for pound and can cause delays in your payments while they recalculate everything as I understand it) that I can do without being worse off than I am right now. I'm not one of those people who would get away with making any money without being upfront about it.

I have some baby bits if interested. Happy to send in post and cover postage if you want. Not loads but some baby clothes, bibs, a blanket, etc

Do consider using reusable nappies for baby also. If you can pick up secondhand online / nct sales you will have a fortune as 2+ years of not having to buy nappies. Also if you are able to breastfeed that will obv save also.

Babies don't need that much otherwise really. Sure a bouncy chair might be nice but a blanket / clean towel on floor is fine! Same with everything . Baby bath, use sink/ own bath/ shower. Baby can also co sleep if you want.

Advertise on free cycle as many people don't know who/ where to donate stuff no longer needed

SaltySeaBird looking into Maternity Allowance I was self-employed working freelance but lost a big contract and then when my now ex left me he left us in debt i knew nothing about and had to sell almost all of my equipment to pay the debt off and help towards moving and buying very basic furniture. I'm not sure if I qualify but think I do (have been crying all day and not sure what with that and baby brain I can work it all out ) but I think i have to have been working for 5 months of the 15 1/2 months before baby is born. Unless I get a job thats not likely.

Artandco That is very kind of you.

I posted in free cycle today so fingers crossed.

If you have proof of income (trickier when you are self employed) then yes you need to have worked for 6 months (26 weeks) in roughly the year and a half before you give birth (66 weeks before your due date). So essentially you can qualify without working throughout your pregnancy.

If you are short then try and get some work so that you can make it up to 26 weeks. If you are used to freelancing can you go back to previous clients and prospect for work?

You only need to earn £30 a week over any 13-week period of those 66 weeks so not hard to do really. For the full amount you need to show you earnt roughly £150 a week for 13 of those weeks (get this checked though as I'm not an expert).

If you were self employed are you paying Nat Insurance or do you have a valid exemption certificate for low earning?

Just private message me with an address if you do want any of it

OH NO!

I just pulled myself together enough to open the post. Child Tax Credits are stopping my payments as it would seem DD's dad has ben claiming them for her to although he doesn't ever see her! So while they investigate this they aren't paying me. Could things get any worse? :(

Here's the save the children link I mentioned up thread
www.savethechildren.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/united-kingdom/eat-sleep-learn-play

I was paying NI . Need to replace all of my equipment before I can do the same work again freelance. I am looking for work even temp but there is very little around here unless you drive. also not sure how earning £30 a week for example would effect my JSA or even if it would count towards unless I come off JAS or Employment Support. I'll call them in the morning to find out.

Not benefits but if you or either of your parents served in the Armed forces you could try the relevent benevolent funds. I also have a few baby bits left not many but would happily send them on.

Seriouslyffs Thank you for the link. Sorry to sound dim but I can't see how you contact save the children for support. I can only see who you contact them to donate.

Appeal against their decision to stop paying your tax credits.

Go to the citizens advice bureau with all your financial paperwork and they will help you with benefits and debts.

Don't pay debts that were in ex name.

Evening all, and welcome to Bookmummy on the Talkboards.

Just wanted to say thanks to all who've posted advice, useful links, and offers of kit for the new baby , but also wanted to post our usual advice to our members to be aware that not everyone on t'internet is who they say they are. Although we're awed daily by the astonishing support our members give each other through life's trickier twists and turns, we'd always caution anyone never to give more of themselves to another poster, emotionally or financially, than they can afford to spare.

In the meantime, Bookmummy, just wanted to wish you well for your op. Do get back to MN to let everyone know how you are x

Thanks have added CAB to my growing todo list for tomorrow.

At the time I had to pay the debts as they were in both our names and we had bailiffs turning up every day. I should have got more advice but I was really unwell and bleeding heavily for 10 weeks and I was struggling to put one foot in front of the other. The Dr's did a lot of tests but didn't find out I was pregnant until I was 10 weeks. I have now stopped paying all the debts he created as just paying the water and electricity bills etc... is hard enough.

Sounds like a very difficult time. Hope things are looking up soon. Stay well .

There's an email on the link
[email protected]
You might have to be referred, in which case ask your dr, HV midwife or cab worker to.
Good Luck x

Appeal the tax credits. Show proof you are in receipt of child benefit and get all school corespondence showing you are the resident parent.

Re maternity allowance...

If you have paid your NI for 26 of the 66 weeks, there's no minimum earning requirement. If you have missed payments, pay your debt as soon as you can.

If you have a small earnings exemption certificate (so you don't pay NI), you get the minimum amount of MA. If you don't and you've paid the NI, you get £130-odd a week for 39 weeks.

Chapter and verse if you want to look it up: Section 4.2 on this website says
"If you are self-employed and do not have a small earnings exception certificate, for any week covered by a Class 2 NI contribution you will be treated as having enough earnings to result in the standard rate of MA, payable at the end of the week covered by a Class 2 NI contribution."