Help! I'm confused on what financial help (if any) we will get once my baby is born!

[JaydeHannah]

Hi all
(apologies if my post is in the wrong section...I'm new here!)

Myself and my partner both work full time at the moment and are due to have our first child on 1st December.

I am currently panicking about what the future holds in terms of finances. We have no savings whatsoever and currently living at my parents house for a couple of months to pay off a few minor debts (credit card etc) before starting fresh again and moving out in the next couple of months to a much smaller flat than what we were living in previously to help with finance.

I understand that I will get Maternity allowance and also how much I will get, and my partners wage will obviously be the same but his Minimum wage Job will not support a family when my Maternity pay kicks in and I am a bit worried.

I have tried to work out how much (if any) working tax credits and child tax credits we will receive but it is no help at all, saying we will get absolutely zero!

Does this sound correct? Are we just suspected to survive or do I have to wait until my child is actually born to find out if I can get any help financially?

x

We'd need to know how much you and your partner earn to be able to work that out; I think.

If you don't want to disclose here; you could go to see CAB, although entitled to is usually pretty accurate.

Unfortunately zero could easily be correct. You will be entitled to £20 a week child benefit.

Could you make an appointment with the Citizens Advice Bureau and ask one of the advisors to do you a full benefits calculation??

I'm in a similar situation, looks like we will get zero help aside from child benefit since we both work, although not in exactly awesomely paid jobs.

Does nark me that I drag my backside out of bed and work 8-4 while people sit on their asses watching TV all day and come away with more than me, by the time you factor in benefits, allowances, council tax reduction etc.

It got me frustrated all over again when I was waiting for my scan as there were advertisements for the £500 grant people on benefits get and yet more money being thrown at them in the way of refunds for transport to and from antenatal appointments.

I'm only going to be able to take 6month maternity leave as we can't afford to live of hubbys wage and SMP & child benefit, although no idea how we will arrange/afford childcare when I go back to work.

Could be right that you won't get anything. My dp and I both work full time and are salaried however they are low salaries but because we live together when looking at benefits our wages are classed as 1. All we get is the £20.80 that pretty much everyone gets per week.

I think someone else has said this but its sooo annoying working full time and basically getting no help when people who choose to be lazy and can't be bothered seem to get everything! I completely understand your worry

I'd recommend having a look on Turn2us.org.uk or entitledto.co.uk - they have benefits calculators on their website. They'll ask a few questions regarding your savings, income, outgoings and council tax bill, then tell you what financial support you may be entitled to You may not be entitled to anything at all, but it's worth having a quick look so you know where you stand. Good luck

I read somewhere that if you apply when pregnant for the surestart maternity grant then it's likely to get rejected, but if you apply after the baby is born when ur claiming the £20/week child benefit then it might get approved. Not sure if that's a load of bollocks though!

I read somewhere that if you apply when pregnant for the surestart maternity grant then it's likely to get rejected
I don't think that is true.

If you are claiming for the first child and you receive the specified benefits then you get the grant, if you don't then you won't.

It is as simple as that.

Thank you for all the helpful replies everyone, I thought that the way that i'd worded it, i may of gotten a bit of abuse about 'abusing the system' etc but thankfully everyone saw my real intention and meaning which is just being a bit annoyed that us full-timers dont even get a tiny bit of support for a small amount of time

I will check out all of the links sent as its deffo worth a try!
Myself and partners joint income is approx £30,000 a year, but after rent and bills we are left with very little, never mind!

I just thought i'd ask what other people's experiences on this topic were as most people that i've spoken to have been 'shocked' that we aren't eligible for any sort of help or Sure Start Maternity grant (dont get me started!) and when I have pointed out that we work full time, the response seems to be 'so?'

X

£30,000 before tax should i say