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Original poster

Working parents entitled to anything?

113 replies

LauraBrown1 · 17/01/2019 13:00

Hello, I don't know if this is the best topic to post this under but I couldn't find anything else.
Me and my partner are expecting our first in August, he works 40+ hours a week and I do 16. We get no benefits and pay full rent, bills etc.
We struggle with money I'm not going to lie.
I heard something about a sure start maternity grant online but I'm not sure if we'll be elegible for it. I know a few working friends that are still with their partners and they couldn't get it.
Can anyone help me out? It says you're elegible if you receive child tax credits but I have no idea about that either.
I'm currently OMW to work so tomorrow I'm going to ring up my midwife and ask when I have more time.
Just seems as if you're better off not working and getting money handed to you.. 🙄

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Jackshouse · 17/01/2019 13:03

I don’t think people can money handed to them and then there is the issue of pensions.

There is a website called entitled to where you can find out what you are entitled to but you will need to check out if you are in a universal credit area.

You will be able to claim child benefit and tax free childcare scheme.

Knittedfairies · 17/01/2019 13:07

As above.

username7000 · 17/01/2019 13:10

You should get child benefit www.gov.uk/child-benefit

grinchypants · 17/01/2019 13:12

You may be entitled to a small amount of universal credit or something if you check the entitled to website but not if you're over the threshold.
When baby is born you will receive child benefit, and 15 hours childcare when baby turns 2. More importantly if you stay on the hours you're on at the very least and you can manage financially, you'll be entitled to 30 hours childcare when baby turns 3 as you both work 16 hours or more. Meaning if you wanted to work more and earn more at that point you could.

Or you could not work, be at home on capped benefits that were less than what you are both earning with no chance of getting out of that situation because you won't get 30 hours childcare so you'll have to foot the bill yourself, ours was about 900 before the funding came in.

It sounds like you're better off

Original poster
LauraBrown1 · 17/01/2019 13:22

@grinchypants do you mean better working or not working?
Yeah usually I do a little bit over overtime but I could ask to stick to a 16 hour week.
I'm just confused about the whole thing

OP posts:
grinchypants · 17/01/2019 14:25

No you're better working as far as I can tell. Work over 16 hours as much as you like and it won't make any difference I don't think. But don't go under 16 hours and you should still get the nursery funding in the long run.

Because you're not entitled to benefits anything extra you work will just mean more income for you all. There's no point working less because you won't be better off, not even on any benefits, in fact you would likely be a lot worse off and stuck in that situation with no childcare options.

You're not in a great situation. But you would be worse not working both financially and with no entitlement to childcare.

You can either stay as you are, budget better and make cuts

Reduce hours or quit work, claim handouts, have less overall income by probably hundreds of ££s and struggle to get back into work having to pay massive costs for nursery

Or find a way to increase your income or hours by working more and just up your income bit by bit over time.

Worth checking what you're entitled to but don't leave work if you're getting at least 16 hours in your job as universal credit could put you into poverty. Someone with more knowledge may come along and say otherwise but that's how it looks to me

Helsvamp · 17/01/2019 14:28

I get child tax credits and get working tax credits as min hours I have to work is 16 hours

planespotting · 17/01/2019 14:37

Just seems as if you're better off not working and getting money handed to you.. 🙄
Think about it long term though OP, pension, leaving and rejoining the workforce, having to retrain.

It is a very hard decision and there is not right and wrong, but staying at hime and not working it is not about being handed money, it comes with consequences that people accept as they measure pros and cons, you have to do what works best for you

Tough choice, but some people dont get a choice.

needanappp · 17/01/2019 14:57

You'll be entitled to child benefit which is £82.80 every 4 weeks.

In terms of tax credits, if you're entitled to the Child element only then you won't be eligible until the child begins paid for childcare. So you can claim when your child starts nursery. You have to enter in your financial information along with your childcare costs and they will use this to work out an amount paid to you monthly to help with the costs of childcare.

The best thing to do is try using entitled.to it should give you an idea of what you can claim. It may be that you're eligible for something that you weren't aware of. You'll need your and your partner's financial information to hand to enter your earnings in.

To be honest, if you weren't entitled to anything prior to having children, you won't be entitled to anything after having them either bar child benefit and depending on your income child tax credits. I sympathise with you because it is difficult and a lot of people do find that one parent would be working exclusively to pay for childcare if they have no family to help out.

grinchypants · 17/01/2019 15:08

Look at your outgoings as well if you're struggling op. So if you're struggling with what you pay out when you both earn too much for benefits, how would you afford to pay for those things if you didn't work and took handouts.
Putting things in more simple terms might help you make decisions. It's still not a great position to be in but it might help you look at things in different ways.

Original poster
LauraBrown1 · 17/01/2019 17:53

I make about £630 a month usually. My rent is £500 so that comes straight out. Then my partner gets paid every Friday about £200.
We don't go out much as we hardly have time together and we don't have to pay for things like a car and such.
I'm just worried I'm going to bring a child into this life and struggle through it. It makes me feel guilty to the point I'm debating if I'm doing the right thing and it worries me so much.

Also as @Helsvamp mentioned.
How do I get child tax credits ? As I heard there is a sure start grant you can get and somewhere it says if you're elegible for child tax credits then you're elegible for the grant

OP posts:
icannotremember · 17/01/2019 18:01

Just seems as if you're better off not working and getting money handed to you

Goady statement, that.

Nevertheless, put your figures into the entitledto benefits calculator and see what that suggests.

I'm pretty sure you won't have eligibility for the sure start maternity grant. If you get CTC at a rate higher than the family element or WTC where a disability element is included, that makes you eligible, but that's not the case for you.

Are you sure you have your partner's earnings right? If he was doing 40 hours a week at minimum wage, after tax, NI and a 3% pension contribution he'd have £270/ week net, not £200.

icannotremember · 17/01/2019 18:02

Oh, and check you're not in a Universal Credit area- if you are, you can't make a claim for tax credits, it will have to be UC.

RomanyRoots · 17/01/2019 18:09

if you aren't working you don't get anything handed to you.
You might get some tc or UC if you are low income though, it's better working and claiming what you can than leaving your job.

Jackshouse · 17/01/2019 18:10

Can I ask why you are only working 16 hours a week? Because for many dual households without any children that is unusual.

ILoveMaxiBondi · 17/01/2019 18:14

I heard something about a sure start maternity grant online but I'm not sure if we'll be elegible for it.
It says you're elegible if you receive child tax credits but I have no idea about that either.

Just seems as if you're better off not working and getting money handed to you.

You freely admit you haven’t a clue what you’re entitled to, haven’t even looked into it and yet you’re declaring that everyone not working is better off than you. Hmm stop perpetuation tired benefit bashing myths, do your research and then speak from a position of knowledge rather than ignorance.

Original poster
LauraBrown1 · 17/01/2019 18:14

@icannotremember 'around £200' he's not on a contract so his wage can vary each week depending on the hours he is working.

@Jackshouse can you explain what you mean?

OP posts:
Original poster
LauraBrown1 · 17/01/2019 18:17

@ILoveMaxiBondi excuse me?
Like I said I'm going to do research, I came here for some advice first.....
Like I did quote, I will ring up tomorrow and find out as I've been busy working today.
And going by advice from a couple of friends who don't work they are entitled to a lot more than those who do. They don't have to pay full rent and they're eligible for the grant.
As I said I'm struggling already so I'm looking for advice not rude comments. Thanks

OP posts:
TulipsInbloom1 · 17/01/2019 18:18

OP can you look for a 40hpw job? Is there a reason you work 16?

You may get help with childcare bills depending on dps wage

Bombardier25966 · 17/01/2019 18:18

You both need more reliable employment. Around £200 isn't even thirty hours a week.

Original poster
LauraBrown1 · 17/01/2019 18:20

The reason I'm sticking with the job I'm at now and the 16 hour contract is because I'll get my maternity pay. If I leave now and found another job, say 40 hrs for example, I wouldn't be entitled to maternity pay and I cannot live on my partners wage alone while I'm off with the baby @TulipsInbloom1

OP posts:
ILoveMaxiBondi · 17/01/2019 18:20

I will excuse you your ignorant remark, just this once.

I'm looking for advice not rude comments.

Well then you should have started off with a rude comment.

TulipsInbloom1 · 17/01/2019 18:20

Is there a reason you haven't worked full time prior to this?

What is your employers provision?

Original poster
LauraBrown1 · 17/01/2019 18:21

@ILoveMaxiBondi oooh you will excuse me will you? I have a better idea- don't comment on this thread as you clearly are no help and being rude.

OP posts:
Original poster
LauraBrown1 · 17/01/2019 18:22

@TulipsInbloom1 I used to work full time. My mother found out she has cancer two years ago and I was very depressed, I found it hard working so much as a couldn't focus on my job, I don't want to get into that too much as it's bit personal and makes me upset

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