Can I afford to have a baby?

[annon1234567]

I just found out I am pregnant. I am a third year student and my partner is a third year apprentice.

Our pro’s for having this child are that we both want this baby really badly and I would be able to spend more time with it due to not needing to work full time until it was 2/3 years old therefore giving us a better bond with the baby.

Our con is money. I earn under £1000 a month, and my partner little over that. We are both 21 years old and living between our parents houses which are both overcrowded without a baby added into the equation.

It is heartbreaking to possibly not have this baby purely due to finances but we don’t know what else we could do as benefits work different since I am a student.

Does anyone have any advice or know ways we can make finances work? I have contacted citizens advice but they said they had no clue

Perhaps you can contact Women’s Aid? Even if they can’t help you directly they might know which charities can.

Really the biggest issue would be the living situation, would either of your parents be happy for you all to live with them? I wouldn't count on securing social housing as the wait can be really long, and it sounds like private rental would be too much (although you would most likely be eligible for help towards this).

I'd find out the score re: what support parents can offer, and then contact CAB again when you know. If you called them and said we aren't sure what to do it's harder than saying we need to live out etc.

Look at local rental properties, see how much you’re likely to be paying in rent, go on entitled to website and put in all yours and your partners financial details and it will tell you if you are entitled to any universal credit.

Money wise, I think you're OK. A bit tight but I'm due my baby next week and earn about £1700 a month and DH is unemployed (going to be a stay at home dad so no childcare fees!)
I think the main issue is living with your parents...are you both in the same household? Have you looked at getting a place together?

Can you afford childcare? It’s not cheap. Don’t go down the lines of assuming grandparents will do it for you.

Being a student will affect what you can receive benefits wise. When are you due and when does your course finish?

It may be worth talking to your university, they may be able to signpost you.

I’m due in July which is a couple months before I’m due to begin my final year however, I also have a postgrad degree to complete too

What are your/your partners job and promotion prospects? Would either/both of you be able to take on second jobs in the meantime to start saving up a deposit for a private rental from next summer?

I don't think it purely comes down to finances, you're assuming your study would cause financial pressure but I'd say having a baby might make it impossible to complete your studies. So really it's also about how important your chosen career path is and how you'd feel if things work out differently and you need to drop out or have a long break before pursuing your studies.

Of course there's a scenario in which you manage to combine both baby and study, make it through the early days of starting out in your field, your relationship works out etc. But there's also a risk that you don't achieve your potential and end up a single parent making do with not much money. Which isn't the end of the world but you need to be prepared to take that risk.

Good luck, whatever you do!

If he's a third year apprentice I am assuming it's a high level apprenticeship that he'll be finishing this year?

One or both of you might need to sacrifice your education - or postpone it for a while.

Can you speak to student services at your uni? My uni had some special accommodation that was specifically for families. Also they might have some cheaper childcare options - there’s a big college near me which has a built in nursery which is also where the apprentice childcare students work.
There might also be an option for you to do your third year part time or defer it for a year. I’m currently doing an appprenticeship with my employer, and I’m able to take a ‘break in learning’ of a year, then come back and continue with my studies.

Just because you are students doesn't mean you can't work - if you really want the baby then you'll both have to take 2nd or even 3rd jobs. You don't have to stay off until the baby is 2/3 that's sounds like a luxury you can ill afford to be honest. You can't have it all as harsh as that sounds

Speak to student finance. They certainly used to have specific grants for parents towards childcare. This looks like it www.gov.uk/childcare-grant

Also ask your uni if they have any bursaries as they often have some and you might be eligible.

Go here to check what you might be entitled to
You should experiment with child care costs and private rents to show you what you'd be entitled to. Child care in my areas is around £1,500 per month assuming a full week.

What are rents like in your area? We have managed on lower income but are lucky to live in an area where a 2 bed flat is £450 a month which helped a lot.

It’s also worth looking into what extra help you can get from student finance when you return to your course. I got parents learning allowance which I think was about £1000 a year, and childcare grant which covers something like 85% of your childcare costs up to a maximum of £165 a week.