sure start grant cut...i now have nothing for my unborn baby

[witter]

Hi everyone,,,
I'm looking for some advice as i dont know what to do anymore just as i get back on my feet something else seems to knock me back down.

Does anyone know is there any help out there as ive missed the sure start grant and now have nothing for baby due in april 2011.

I had to claim income support late last year as my partner left us and i was not working so had no income what so ever.
I have recently gone self employed and dont really have much income at the moment with starting up and everything.
I am due to have another baby in april 2011 but i have nothing i was told i could claim a sure start grant months ago but when i went into the jobcentre they said no first child only now.
I do have another child who is 1 year old but have never claimed this before as myself and partner worked before.
I have a few bits that baby could use but my son is still in his cot and only have his buggy now which i use for him as he cant walk the next baby is a girl so dont have mamy clothes either nether mind bottles, blankets, or anything else.
i really dont know where to turn next..i cant claim a loan because i need to be claiming benefits.
is there anything at all i could do??
thanks for reading xx

onimolap Sat 12-Feb-11 15:27:39

Queen - see my previous post: it had been first babies only, briefly became all babies when rebranded, and is one reverting to the status quo ante.

onimolap

Sorry but you are wrong about that.

I was from the start all babies, it started as £100 then £300 then rising to £500 over the years, it has only recently become first babies only.

Wow £500 grant. I got about £30 and was on income support at the time, not for long but had to claim as my maternity allowance didn't cover me.

So OP will you get the £190 that is available? Sorry I don't understand this grant either. If not then I can see how you will struggle with getting the basics together but it really doesn't have to cost much if you follow the advice on this thread about obtaining it all in the cheapest way.

It actually started in 1948 and was for first babies. It has only became for subsequent babies very recently (I thought 2004, but another poster says 2003): either way, a small part of the overall history of this benefit.

Witter, do look at Ebay, Freecycle & Netmums. It's where I generally put my baby stuff. Where [roughly] in the world are you? If nearby, you'd be welcome to it.

You also need to make sure you're getting all you are entitled to. No idea if you qualify but here might be worth looking at.

Everyone who has limited means e.g a small amount of self employed income gets enough help to manage day by day so that shouldn't be a problem.

I did get a grant in 1994 but had to fund all my equipment myself as it was a very small grant.

onimolap sorry again you are wrong, it has been for all babies much longer ago than 2003/4

Also google and see if there are any nct nearly new sales near you. Brilliant for good quality stuff including clothes.

Well having looked it up myself, the Sure Start grant replaced the Maternity Payment scheme in 2000.

So 11 years ago.

And I cannot find anything about the old scheme - but the letter does not detail a change to how many babies it was payable for.

When I had my DS (who is 5) It was 500 for first babies and 300 for subsequent babies. Just after he was born it was upped to 500 for first and subsequent babies.

witter are you still watching as you've gone quiet and this is turning into a debate

As you are a single mum you ought to be getting Tax Credits at the lone parent rate which (from past experience) is vastly more than the normal element. Ditto for Child Benefit (for the time being!) I'm sure that if you are also working less than 16 hours per week you can claim some financial support (if your income is THAT low). Also bear in mind that when lo arrives these benefits will increase substantially...so if you could just get the absolute essentials for now and make do until lo arrives and get the rest?! Argos have a moses for £25 atm. You can hire a Kari-Me sling from most SureStart CC's for £5...and they are amazing for carrying baby PAIN FREE for a LONNNGGG time!

If you wish to go out to work then certainly childcare for your son should not be the only reason not to! You, as a single mum, are entitled to around 80% of the cost of childcare covered. So for every £100 of childcare costs - you only pay £20.

I managed to work my backside off as a single mum of 2 children (self employed childminder). And IME I was actually better off financially as a working single mum! Now I'm married to DH & expecting Dc4 things can really be a struggle as we both work and get sod all!!
If you are truly struggling to purchase extra bits for new lo, then contact Jobcentre Plus about the Discretionary Social Fund (info on pg 160 of the pregnancy book midwives issue).

But my concern would be that getting another job whilst highly pg will be both exhausting, short lived and damn hard with a bump!

Also what date are you due in April? Are you 100% certain you don't scrape into the last few ppl who are still entitled?

And a long shot...are you not entitled to Maternity Allowance???

You mention that you were working before & that you only claimed Income support late last year??

As long as you have worked for ANY of the 26 weeks in the 66 weeks (which should take you back to around the beginning of 2010) before your baby is due you can claim...this includes periods of self employment!! AND FINALLY...there is Employment & Support Allowance! If I were you I'd make sure you have exhausted all avenues.

I also second the other posters suggestion that you contact the CSA as soon as possible as from your post it sounds like your partner is still working? Well cop him for 15% of his net earnings for one child....20% for 2!! Personally I'd nail his goolies wallet to the wall for not supporting you! . I know first hand how CRAP they can be but 5 phonecalls a day soon gets them in gear!

And finally a personal rant...I do wish people would stick to the subject in hand and not turn it into a debate i.e. FF/BF debate! It is personal choice and there actually IS strong evidence that BF babies are LESS likely (not that they NEVER) to suffer certain illnesses in comparison to FF babies. I can actually see the the other posters were merely trying to offer sound advice on a way to feed OPs baby which is FREE considering her post is about financial issues!! Also can I just say...bed sharing and co-sleeping with your baby is NOT unsafe PROVIDED it is done CORRECTLY. In fact NHS staff advocate it to promote successful BF but there are strict contra-indications & guidelines we must adhere to. Ask your community midwife to advise you if you are unsure. The fact remains that this post is not about the feeding debate or any other issue. Sorry but it esp makes me when inaccurate info is posted. Sorry.

Good luck and i'm sure you'll get through it...women just have a way of coping! Please let us know how you get on. X

The Op's ex partner cannot possibly be on benefits otherwise they wouldn't have planned another baby, surely?

Go to see your local sure start centre and get advice to make sure you are getting the help that is available. Including any help you may need from ex

Libraries do free internet, so maybe you're currently "silent" because you don't have a computer at home? If you do have one, you might think of selling it to raise some money and cancelling your broadband?

Write down every bit of money you have coming in and write down everything you need. Try to get as much as possible for free by using freecycle and netmums, I've given away a barely used steriliser and new bottles before as I couldn't be bothered to express milk, so the things you get could be in good condition. People just want to get things off their hands quite often and are grateful for you taking them so don't feel bad about it.

I barely spent a penny when DD1 was born, although we got a lot of presents, For DD2 we had everything already. Are there family or friends who are likely to be buying you useless soft toys and tat for presents for new DS? Maybe you can ask them to buy specific things you need instead? Tell your family and friends your situation. People love to help if they can and they think you deserve it.

Are there things you currently pay for that you could do without?

How are you selling your bags? Have you tried folksy.com?

I agree with what clouiseg said.
I think it is admirable that you want to be self sufficient moneywise but being heavily pregnant and then having a newborn and a toddler is not the time to be worrying about where your next penny coming from.
So maybe swallow your pride and go back on income support. To tide you over while your get CSA to chase your ex.
You will then not have to pay for rent council tax etc. You will also get tax credits for two children on top of this. iI think if you are a single parent you can work up to 16 hours a week on top of income support too.

Also think the govt are wanting to bring back Enterprise Allowance scheme too ( don't know if it has started yet) You get paid same as dole for the first year but you also get help with start up costs for your business.

Freecycle will answer most of this.

i got so much free stuff from other mums, hand-me-downs from friends of friends (including buggy, cot, bouncer, bags of clothes, sterilizer, etc etc) ..i actually didn't use all of it.

if you are that broke you should be eligible for healthy start and milk tokens which can be used for formula.

and my baby boy looked lovely in pink, and his sister looks great in blue...private parts still in tact :)

@ clouiseg & hope you've read what she put witter, lots of sensible and informed advice there.

Kangaroo & brandnew thank you.

I don't think anyone has mentioned local churches. If you discussed the matter with your local vicar, and put out word you would be grateful to receive any baby equipment people had finished with, girls' clothes, knitted items and so on, you may well find yourself with more than enough. I can imagine the older ladies from our church knitting away like dervishes for you if you were in our parish. There's nothing a church likes more than a bit of a social challenge on its own doorstep. Nobody even has to know who it's all for, it can all be done via the vicar if necessary (although if you come out, you might even get a bit of babysitting and the odd hot meal during the postnatal period with a bit of luck - the church in the next village actually do this for everyone with babies under 10 days old).

If you look on ebay, you can probably get a bundle of baby girl clothes for not much more than 99p.
You can also sort your search results by distance from you, so you can find the closest. Then contact the seller and see if they will accept pickup so you don't have to pay postage.

And join your local freecycle, you never know what'll turn up on there.

I actually think that brandnew has a point, maybe now is not the time to be starting up a business.

Is your business just about making and selling bags?

If so could you go back onto benefits but continue making bags in your spare time then when you are a bit more financially stable start setting up the businsess to sell them.

I think as you sound desperate (and anyone would be in your situation) this would perhaps be the best option. Given the fact as well that I doubt you will hae much time to be making lots when you hae a one year old and a new baby!

I don't think working on the side while claiming benefits is a particularly good idea.

DD is in a bed now, she is 17 months and it is fine.
Clothes etc - surely you must have a lot from your eldest.
I think the one big expense will be a car seat, if you drive

Are you sure you don't qualify? You have to be at least 25 weeks by 1st of January, so double check your dates.

I agree with mamadiva - at this point in your life it is probably not the best time to start a business. If I were you i would go back on benefits and spend the next few months or so feverishly making bags in your spare time.

Co sleeping is fine - I did it with my dd. The moses basket/cot etc were a complete waste of money.

Agree with others re looking on Ebay for cheap second hand stuff.

Georgie making abgs in your spare time is not working is it?

I said once she is more financially stable then she could rethink setting up her business and selling the things that she has made, declaring it obviously!

I wonder where the OP has gone? I hope she wasnt scared off and has been able to read some of the more helpful posts.