new baby and benefits

LilacPixie

congratulations.
Benefits have been covered. My advice is don't believe that every item is essential. Very few items areand the rest is an expense that you possibly can't handle.

MasterBell_2

thanks for all the advice, sure it will all pan out in the end

nickyhutch

CiciBaltimore wrote: »

doent have to be trolls does it?

who calls there child a sprog anywya?

I think sprog is a very cute name for a little one on the way. Congratulations OP on the sprog, and on being so sensible and getting yourselves prepared.

fernliebee

He he! I like sprog too. I think all parent's have little names for their little one in utero and once they are born, and it's not for other people to understand or judge, like pet names for partners I guess! I call my DD a little bean, possum, and lucky cat (since she was a newborn she waved one 'paw' like a chinese lucky cat! ) When I was pregnant I called her Cecil (I thought she was a boy!) I just thought it was a funny little name, until I had met her.

Anyway back to the subject, OP Congratulations! I can't see why anyone would judge you for preparing for your sprog! Good luck with everything.

Savvy_Sue

MrsTine wrote: »

Maternity pay IS confusing... there is the legal minimum that she is entitled to and often depending on the company there can be company maternity pay - you really need to check her company policy though. For example I get 50% pay for a fair period which you don't on statutory maternity...

minimum maternity pay:

Statutory Maternity Pay is paid for a maximum period of 39 weeks. It is paid:

• at 90 per cent of your average gross weekly earnings with no upper limit for the first six weeks; and
• for the remaining 33 weeks at either the standard rate of £117.18 or 90 per cent of your average gross weekly earnings (if this 90 per cent rate is less than the standard rate)

This is gross however and she will have to pay tax and NI on that

And your g/f can then take a further period of Additional Maternity Leave which is unpaid, unless the company's scheme is more generous than that (unusual!) Plus she doesn't lose any entitlement to paid holiday. So one of my colleagues has started that, but in December we paid her last year's outstanding holiday pay, and in January she got paid for a couple of Keeping in Touch days for coming in to meetings.

All this assumes that she's been "employed by the same employer continuously (some breaks do not interrupt continuity) for at least 26 weeks into the 15th week before the week your baby is due." From the DirectGov site.

If the company IS more generous with paid maternity leave, read the small print: usually you HAVE to return to work for a minimum period after baby is born, and if you don't they ask for the difference between your statutory entitlement and the company scheme to be repaid.

MasterBell_2

Thanks for all of the posts just been and spoke to some friends who have had a baby for a year and it was quite a relief to see some people coping perfectly fine!

[Deleted User]

Congratulations! Hope everything goes well...

I would just echo what other posters have said really..... try and save as much money as you can now (food budget etc), the time just goes so quickly. When we first found out I was pregnant we thought we had ages to get things done and now theres 6 weeks to go!!

Also don't get carried away with buying loads of 'stuff', you really dont need everything they say in all the baby magazines and catalogues, people have given us so much stuff. (big family!).

Good luck!

skellysgirl

I agree, you don't need half the stuff, baby shops and mags will have you believe, plus you get a lot as gifts. You also seem to get a lot offered from family and friends, but i also understand many mothers want to have new when its your first,
My best advice keep everything, and stick it away, saves you a fortune if you have more.

I would maybe start to buy a packet of nappies a week now. a packet of baby grows here and there. it helps and you don't notice it being spent.

Start making yourself live on a budget now, you will find the cost of running a home much harder than the cost of a baby. I would suggest keeping furnishing the house as cheap as poss and try not to sign up to any long term agreements, they mount up and become a drain especially when you suddenly only have one wage coming in.

Good luck with the baby, and you will find you do usually manage, you just find a way, especially if you are sensible, you seem pretty responsible thinking this far ahead.

Savvy_Sue

MasterBell wrote: »

Thanks for all of the posts just been and spoke to some friends who have had a baby for a year and it was quite a relief to see some people coping perfectly fine!

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:of course we cope perfectly fine or the human race would have died out long since! :rotfl:

You may wish to toddle over to the pregnancy thread (I believe they let expectant dads in too) for general queries.

amandada

....and DON'T buy pregnancy magazines which are full of things you "need", which you really don't.

This isn't a cash in hand "benefit" as such, but your girlfriend will get free prescriptions and NHS dental care from now until the baby's a year old