Sure start maternity grant

[alita7]

Does anyone have any experience of this? We would fit otherwise qualify for it... However...

my dsd came to live with us last year. she is 10. so technically as we have a child in the house I can't get it. Do they make exceptions in circumstances like this, or if not would they if I appealed.

My reason being is that presumably you only get it for your first child as you are expected to reuse the stuff for the next child. However, dsd is 10 and came to live with us when she had just turned 10. So we never had a grant for her in the first place as her mother would have done if she qualified (DP never lived with her mum) and DP had to buy any things he had for her at his from his own money and obviously no longer has it as she was 10. so we have no baby stuff from her and she didn't live with us until she was way past the baby stage, so surely we should qualify?

I don't want to sound like a scrounger, but that £500 would really make a difference especially when baby will be born in November just before Xmas!

I'm not sure what did stands for as far as I understand u can claim for it if it is urs and ur partners first child together if u apply for it the worst that can happen is ur get rejected I was mis informed when I was pregnant with my second by someone at my job centre so applied but was just refused there is no harm in trying x

Sorry did mean dsd x

my step daughter. she's our first together but his daughter lives with us.

oops that must be a subconscious slip me saying 'she' baby could be either :p

I did read another post on Mumsnet (I think from quite a while ago) where someone had been turned down for this very reason (their partners DS lives with them as couldnt live with his mother, they had no other children). However the DS in this case was 2 or 3 so large age difference which may work in your favour. Is there not any government notes on who is entitled to it? I don't think they are very clear though.

Best way would be to fill in the forms and see what they say, I'd try to find that post but I've no idea how I did so. It was only the other day I was reading it.

Neither me or DP have any other children or any children living with us, We are also on JSA so are entitled to it, are you definitely entitled to it with regards to finances aswell?

xxx

Absolutely no idea! I'd give someone a ring....job centre? Where do you apply for that now? Too long since I got it, can't remember . I got it twice as I slipped in before it changed, so grateful, makes a massive difference. Don't lose heart if you don't get it though, you can kit a baby out for peanuts if you know where to look. Local FB groups etc and you can usually get things like moses baskets for £10 (because they get used for about 2 months and then sit there taking up space), the cheap ikea cot is fab and so on.

we should be eligible if she isn't counted.
I've looked online and I've looked for a number to call and can't find one :( or maybe it was 0845 and I can't call those numbers on my phone. I looked at little while ago but was reminded of the question today.

You won't be eligible as you already have a child under 16 in the house, sorry.