anyone with experience would be so helpful

[hannahkj19]

i'm expecting, due early feb with a little baby boy! i am also a full time uni student! Just wondering what benefits/tax credits/grants etc i might be entitled to. My DP works part time if that makes any difference. Anyone who is also in this situation who could give me any idea of what we'd be entitled to would be awesome cos we're trying to work out a budget atm and it's pretty tricky when we don't know for sure what money we'll actually qualify for! xxx

Talk to student finance, and the benefits office. You'll probably get a council tax discount as a FT student, and tax credit (WTC/CTC/childcare element) depending on DPs income.
You'll get child benefit as long as DP isn't a higher rate taxpayer.
There isn't much extra help for students, although you might get cheaper childcare via a Uni nursery.

I do have experience of this but it is from 2009;

It is not a good experience I'm afraid, I found out I was pregnant in the February due in August, I had to give up my part time supply teaching assistant job in an SEN school and looked to the government for some help - I got none, I was told that as a student I could not claim for JSA or even maternity allowance, I carried on with my course but the stress of having no money and the fact that my bump was massive (an 11lb 13oz baby) I couldn't get in after the April and ended up flunking.

I got in touch with my local MP who then got in touch with the Job Centre - They then magically worked out I could recieve Mat Allowance as I had been working the year before full time - Do you work at all? If it is part time typical student work then you probably wont get any support from them but you can try for mat allowance, with this I got £140 every 2 weeks but thats because I had a good wage the previous summer.

Our situation was slightly different because although on a low wage, my DH was working full time.

My suggestion would be the following;
Make sure you fill in all the proper forms to take the time out of uni, make sure everybody actually knows that you are pregnant and are having a baby - I regularly found that my tutors didn't know and typically the male ones wouldn't ask whether I was updiffed or just chunky!

Fill in every form from the Job Cente as possible and when you do fill them in as a SAHM not a student, I know this sounds a bit naughty but they will not support a student!

Talk to your uni, I know mine offered a £250 "Congrats" grant to new parents etc and they will be able to help you talk to Student finance about defering, or have you finished?

Fight for everything you can, otherwise they will not give it over lightly! I really struggled but in the end I got my Mat Allowance the day before I actually had my DS, it was a nice lump sum but tbh we had struggled so much before he was born that it was already spent - I couldn't get a new job whilst pregnant and couldn't claim any benefits because up until a certain date in May I was still classes as a student - I'd suggest booking an appt with your local job centre and your finance dept in uni - they will know exactly what you can get.

With regard to child benefit - everyone is entitled to that, £80 a month.
Child Tax credit - Depends on your household income I think - Mine varies but is usually between £40 and £50 a week - You may get more if you DH is part time, but I don't know

Both me and dp are students and I had dd in March last year, right in the middle of second year!!

Are you taking time out? If you are student finance pay nothing, and you can't get income support because your still classed as a student. My head of department was amazing and let my friend record my lectures on a dictaphone so I could take time out and do it from home but not have to leave uni.

Biggest advice is get all forms, esp your student finance forms filled out ready for when baby arrives and just needed documentation (ie birth certificate) because we missed out on the 3rd instalment being amended because they took FOREVER and the year passed.

This year (3rd year) we get:

maximum student finance plus parent's learning allowance £2500 per term each

Child benefit £80 per month

I get child tax credit £50 a week

DP gets working families as he also works 16hrs £70 per week

Housing benefit, waiting to be reassessed we got the max over the summer (£500 a month I think) but think it'll be about £60 a week now

We also get 85% of child care fees paid which is £78 a week

And dp's wages

Hope that helps

Good luck!!

thank you HumptyDumpty1 that is so helpful. My uni are being really good with letting me still register and everything so I'll still get my finance but they're not going to be enforcing my attendance as long as my work gets done. My DP is a student working 16 hours a week so hopefully he'll get the working families tax credit too! What is housing benefit exactly?!
Things are starting to look up on the money side now cos have been worrying about how we will afford everything but hopefully if we qualify for everything the same as you then it'll be fine! xxx

Housing benefit pays for your rent, how much you get depends on location and finance

Google it with your Local authority and you can find amounts and forms

You can also send the form in now and evidence later