new baby and benefits

MasterBell_2

Morning all,

Just found out my girlfriend is pregnant, Im wondering what we are entitled to in terms of grants benefits all that jazz!
i am 24 and earn £18k
shes 22 and earns £17k we are both in full time work.

by my research the only thing i can see, is £20 a week family allowance and £222 tax credit for the year??

Can anyone help
obviously ive got a lot to plan for main thing being a house, (we are looking at renting after some advice from here, no deposit!!)

MasterBell_2

oh,
i found out on weds and we think she is about 5 weeks gone.

sooz

you'll get child benefit - which will be £20 per week
she'll also be able to get a health in pregnancy grant from week 25, of £190.
Check if she will qualify for a sure start maternity grant of £500 - i think you need to get higher rate child tax credits or on benefits.
She'll need to check with her employers what their maternity leave policy is - she doesn't need to tell them that she's pregnant right now.
also, as you've looked up, you'll get some child tax credit - I think you get slightly more for the first year.
& the baby gets £250 from the government to invest in a child trust fund
your girlfriend will also get free prescriptions and dental treatment til the baby is 1

other than that, there are no other benefits for having a baby...other than the baby itself

Millie's_Mum

Congratulations

Don't take this the wrong way, its friendly advice but if I was you I would change the title of your thread.

Have you been on http://www.entitledto.co.uk/ ? that will tell you what you can get but tbh what you have detailed in your first post sounds about right.

The only other thing it the Health in Pregnancy grant which is being introduced for expectant mothers due after 6 April this year, its £190 and the midwife will give your girlfriend the form I think after she is a certain amount of wks gone.

MasterBell_2

thanks muchly,
i appreciate the thread title isnt the most accurate ill change it now

astonsmummy

Millie's_Mum wrote: »

Congratulations

Don't take this the wrong way, its friendly advice but if I was you I would change the title of your thread.

Have you been on http://www.entitledto.co.uk/ ? that will tell you what you can get but tbh what you have detailed in your first post sounds about right.

The only other thing it the Health in Pregnancy grant which is being introduced for expectant mothers due after 6 April this year, its £190 and the midwife will give your girlfriend the form I think after she is a certain amount of wks gone.

Why?????????

Millie's_Mum

I just thought it sounded like an invitation for trolls to start speculating about the state of his suitability as a parent if thats the way he speaks about it if you see what I mean?

MasterBell_2

how can they question my suitability from me saying a sprog haha.
they dont know me as a person, we are very young yes but we have the support of a lot people who arent!!

MrsTinks

Because a lot of people will feel it's very immature and possibly unloving to refer to becoming a parent with "New sprog" as the title no matter what your ACTUAL feelings are...

Anyway - as stated above there are some benefits avialable but right now I would not worry too much... I don't mean to be harsh but 5 weeks is still very very early... and sadly a lot of pregnancies end in miscarriages. IF that should happen then getting lots of reminders of the pregnancy through letters etc about child benefits might not be helpful to your girlfriend.
My honest advice is to be happy right now, look after her, make sure she eats properly and IF the worst should happen be there for her...

MasterBell_2

changed anyway.

I appreciate this, and she will be.
but I need to plan, I need to get a house sorted and get things in place regardless
I appreciate bad things happen but there is no harm in ME planning all of this and trying to be as prepared as possible, its a very big responsibility and i want to get the best possible start we can!!

please feel free to say anything you feel may be off benefit

astonsmummy

Millie's_Mum wrote: »

I just thought it sounded like an invitation for trolls to start speculating about the state of his suitability as a parent if thats the way he speaks about it if you see what I mean?

Ahh ok, makses sense, people on here sometimes dont even need an excuse like that sometimes...