What benefits would we be entitled to

[misskatie90]

Hey just looking for some help.
I am pregnant with my first child, 14 weeks. Me and my partner both currently work full time we earn about 46k between us after tax. We have a mortage which is quite pricey 866, then all the bills on top. We manage fine at the moment and have never worried about money. When baby comes along I will receive statutory maternity pay which is fine but it's a big cut. Will we be entitled to any benefits, any help? This is our first time we are very new to this so any help would be great. We are saving every penny at the moment.
Thanks in advance

@user9752280

Your mortgage is cheap compared to rent.

Mortgages don't tend to include bills.

You can calculate benefits yourself though I doubt you'll be entitled to anything bar child benefit.

Did you not consider finances before deciding to have a child?

Not everyone has the luxury of planning pregnancies.

Not everyone has the luxury of planning pregnancies.

Where did I say she planned her pregnancy?

She's 14 weeks.

@Fifilorax

You want benefits when you’re earning 46k combined? However will you feed yourselves

Her mortgage is almost £900 and you don’t know where she lives….? Jesus on mn if you earn more then £20k apparently you can never complain about money. Joint income of £46k is not the at high it’s very average and mat pay is rubbish x

Just realised OP is talking net c. £3800 a month…..I think you’ll be fine OP the issue must be your bills and outgoings- feel free to ask advice on that before looking to benefits.
You do know nurseries range from 45-110 quid a day right?

As said, child benefit.

You're 14 weeks, you need to skint yourself now and save save save for your maternity leave.

My god mn are such a holes. Yes op has a good wage, why shame her for working full time and earning such. If she lives in the London for example then she not a big time earner. Plus when you go on mat leave ur bills not just vanish they stay the same the extra has to come from somewhere. She simply asked what if anything she would be entitled to. Sadly all she will get is £20 a week

Yes op has a good wage, why shame her for working full time and earning such

Yeah, that's not what people have taken objection to.

Temporarily, depending on how long a leave she is taking, but threshold for UC among couples is very low. A LOT of people would be quite staggered to find out just how low it is. And it does not cover mortgages at all, there's no housing benefit element for mortgage-holders. There's still, despite UC having been around for over 7 years and all new claims since December, 2018, being UC ones, this persistent paradigm, as illustrated by the OP that benefits are abundant and generous. Sadly, this is far from true, hasn't been for a while, and the OP and her partner need to plan accordingly.

There is an extra work work allowance for claimants not claiming housing costs, though, and it might be OP earns twice what her DH does, so it’s worth sticking her maternity leave circa through a calculator, especially if she is the higher earner.

She also needs to look at childcare subsidies for when she goes back to work.

What a load of arsehole responses. Mumsnet at its finest.

Thank you everyone

@Fifilorax

You want benefits when you’re earning 46k combined? However will you feed yourselves

I'm entitled to ask a question am I not? I'm a first time mum so don't know so I'm trying to find out every thing I can.

But £46k after tax is the best part of £4K a month! You must realise that you are not going to hit the threshold for benefits on £4K a month.

Some of these responses I just have to laugh...why such snappy replies haha. I live in kent we planned our baby and we just wanted to see if we was entitled to anything as we had no clue. Maternity pay is really low and the cost of living down here is not haha. I thought this was a friendly group
Thank you everyone that sent helpful responses.

@PotteringAlong

But £46k after tax is the best part of £4K a month! You must realise that you are not going to hit the threshold for benefits on £4K a month.

Yeah we didn't think we was but we wanted to check, is that not what this group is for asking questions?

@GothenburgGirl

What a load of arsehole responses. Mumsnet at its finest.

First time I've used it haha. I just needed some advice

@PotteringAlong

But £46k after tax is the best part of £4K a month! You must realise that you are not going to hit the threshold for benefits on £4K a month.

It’s about £3k, actually.

(4 x 12 = 48. How could take home pay be higher than the salary?!)

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

Just realised OP is talking net c. £3800 a month…..I think you’ll be fine OP the issue must be your bills and outgoings- feel free to ask advice on that before looking to benefits. You do know nurseries range from 45-110 quid a day right?

What’s with the maths on this thread?

Net is AFTER tax. You’ve quoted the GROSS.

Net will be max of £3000 depending on pension conts.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

Just realised OP is talking net c. £3800 a month…..I think you’ll be fine OP the issue must be your bills and outgoings- feel free to ask advice on that before looking to benefits. You do know nurseries range from 45-110 quid a day right?

I've never claimed benefits before, but I've been told by some people that I would maybe receive some with not working and being on maturity pay. I'm not sure that's why I've asked on this group.

@user9752280

Your mortgage is cheap compared to rent.

Mortgages don't tend to include bills.

You can calculate benefits yourself though I doubt you'll be entitled to anything bar child benefit.

Did you not consider finances before deciding to have a child?

Wow what a arsey response. We did consider money of course, we don't expect benefits but I was checking to see if I was entitled to any... just a question, looking at all my options trying to prepare myself for the baby coming.

@Toastedsesame

My partner and me are on low wages, both work for NHS. I work 16h (and look after our 3yo) and he works full time. Our combined income is around 25k a year. We get UC of around £700 a month currently but I am 20w pregnant and we should get an extra £240 a month after baby is born, roughly. Just to give you a rough idea of what you'd need to earn to get anything.

Thank you

Surely OP is saying they won't be on £46k any longer because she'll be on ML, not that she thinks she should get benefits on a joint income of £46k

Hang around OP, not everyone here is a viper. Not all of the time anyway.

Have you looked at tax-free childcare?

While you're on maternity leave I don't think it makes a difference to your benefit entitlement as you are still technically employed full time unfortunately. You may be able to claim for a maternity grant. Start saving now and they you will be able to top up your mat pay with some savings. We were on pretty much the same income to you and only got child benefit, £80 a month.

@Godmothered

While you're on maternity leave I don't think it makes a difference to your benefit entitlement as you are still technically employed full time unfortunately. You may be able to claim for a maternity grant. Start saving now and they you will be able to top up your mat pay with some savings. We were on pretty much the same income to you and only got child benefit, £80 a month.

Nope. It’s calculated on actual current income, not contractual salary. So if she takes a big hit during maternity leave, she might qualify for a little bit of something depending what the income split between her and her OH is.

Laughing at the precious responses about planning and ‘cheaper than rent’ how and earth do you know that 😂?! They could have a super short mortgage then it would be more than rent. Chill out with the assumptions.

I think stat mat pay is SHIT; if I were to just leave my partner and have his two babys I’d get an enormous amount per month, more than my normal FTE salary, until they’re X age. If I choose to stay I get £600/m for 9 fucking months then nothing. What absolute trout thought that giving people who don’t ever intend on working MORE than someone taking 1 year out of working?

Anyway, chuck your details into entitled to.com or something like that and they’ll tell you.