Scared I won't get the maternity grant

[anonymoooose]

Hi all. I'm 11 weeks pregnant with my third child. My first is 19 and lives away (I got the grant for him back in 2000 when it was £300)
With my 8 year old I didn't apply for the grant because I was earning good money and me and my then partner bought everything.
This time I've been left to deal with the pregnancy (SD pissed off no calls etc) and I'm working for agency (not very good money)
I'm on UC and just wondering if I will still get the maternity grant? Does anyone know?
I'm scared because I don't think I can afford to get the big things (buggy and cot)
Any help is much appreciated

I thought it was only for the first child ? I may be wrong though

Yeah I’m sorry OP but I think the maternity grant is only for your first.

Yes on further research! It is only for your first. Have you tried a baby bank OP??

No I don't think you are eligible:

You’ll get the grant if your new baby is the only child under 16 in your family and you or your partner get one of the following benefits:

Pension Credit
Income Support
Universal Credit
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Child Tax Credit at a higher rate than the family element
Working Tax Credit which includes a disability or severe disability element.

I know there's a charity where I live that offer free items to those on a low income especially when you are unable to get the grant. My midwife told me about it - Perhaps you could ask yours/do some digging?

Asda have some things quite reasonably priced like peaks etc and especially baby clothes
Or you could just get a stretchy wrap from a sling library at first then get a lightweight stroller later on
Maybe friends could lend you things ?

peaks ......that should say prams!

In terms of the cot Go on the baby box website do the short course (a few videos to watch and some questions) and you get a box with mattress and only pay postage it lasted us till ds was 4 months

Would you be able to bed share for the first few months so you won't need a cot straight away? Also maybe you could use a sling instead of a pram while you save up.

There are many ways to get baby stuff on a budget these days :)

People buy so much, especially for their first, and baby stuff is used for such a relatively short period of time that there are always bargains to be found.

For second hand stuff, charity shops, gum tree, freecycle and Facebook buy and sell groups. You also can post "looking for" ads in buy and sell groups and whenever I've seen them they pretty much always get a few offers.

Even new stuff can be cheap on a budget - supermarkets like tesco and asda do lovely baby gro multipacks which is all you really need for the first year or so. IKEA do a high chair for £15.

I'm expecting my third and my mum and aunt shopped around a car boot for me and found me a mamas and papas crib, mint condition, for £15! I think lots of people just want to get rid of baby stuff, especially if you do go to a car boot as they dont want to take it home with them again.

Good luck!

Buy second hand?
My cot was £5 off eBay

Where abouts are you OP? If you don’t mind saying. If you’re near to me I have a few bits that may help I’m NW London

Thank you ladies. I'm feeling a lot less anxious and tearful now. Have looked at the baby box website and that seems like a good idea

Do you have a local mums group on fb?. We have one for our area and people give loads of stuff for free, prams, cots baby clothes all sorts

Go in 'pass it on! Kids UK' everything is free from families giving away their things

I've never heard of these groups. Absolutely amazing. Thank you for sharing ❤️

I managed to get an awful lot of my baby's stuff for free from groups on Facebook, etc. Pretty much everything else I have is second hand - baby won't mind.

Write down the essentials and a rough budget.

Anything non-essential can be bought as required when baby is here.

You can pick up most things second hand in Facebook marketplace/eBay or in charity shops.