How long did £500 pregnancy grant take to get?

[anotherusername]

Just sent mine today at 35 weeks (again) as last application wasn't done right apparently)
I am hoping I will have it in time to buy a pram for my baby!

last time i applied it took about 3 weeks, but this was 2 years ago!

mine took less than 2 weeks from sending off the form to getting the money in the bank, did it in January!!

Mine took about 14 days, got the money in the bank before I received the award letter!

That was last month!

I thought it was £190. Hadn't heard of them two years ago.
I'm due in 4 days, and still haven't had it! Or my maternity exemption card.
I think because I know my MW, I'm not a priority.

£500?!? i got one for £190 and it took about 3 weeks. havent heard of the £500 one though

what's all this?!!!£500 ? i got £190 too..is this a different,additional grant..if you're on benefits or something?

Yes, it's for people on income support or JSA to get prepared with cot/crib/pram/clothes/bath/carrier/carseat/etc etc and everything else that in reality costs more near £1000
In some situations, like having £5 disposable a week, it'd be otherwise impossible to buy anything for baby..

i see...bum!

As far as I am aware, some families who get Tax Credits will be eligible as well, so it is also for working families.

midori you need to be claiming tax credits and be awarded a higher rate for child tax credit, I mean above the basic rate, it is not to do with working tax credit.
It is called a sure start maternity grant and you can claim from 28 weeks.
This is how many stereotypical teenage mums afford to buy their burberry prams, with this one off payment, despite being on benefits and having low incomes ...

Also, you can claim it up to so many weeks after the birth, so it may not be too late if you didn't know about it, you get a form from jobcentre and get your midwife or health visitor to sign it for you.

If mums can aquire all the other things for the baby somehow, maybe from charity, then they could buy an expensive pram.
I've managed to get a few things given to me like a second hand crib and clothes, so I will be buying a more expensive pram (I'll get a strong one with big wheels second hand hopefully).
It's either that or having to buy a new cheap pram every 6 months like I did with DS as they get crippled with shopping continiously.
When you can't afford a car and are walking several miles a day and transporting everthing manually prams are very important.

It annoys me that they don't tell women about these things!
I went without childtax credits for 4 months with my DS as I didn't know it existed!
We were just survining, then I suddenly find I can have £55 a week more!
They do NOT go out of their way to tell you!