Pregnant and scared if i can manage

kirstypregnant

i have just found out i am 20weeks pregnant, now i am a bit scared as my income is £12000 and my partners is £15000, now i have spoke to my manager and she has explained i get 39weeks of and get around £125aweek, now how am i going to manage going back to work as we could not afford childcare, i am really scared as i just dont see how we are going to manage, i am 22 and my boyfriend is 23.

Please help me

Kirsty xx:o

kirstypregnant

hi i am 22, 20weeks pregnant and really scared, how am i going to be able to manage, i am on £12k and my boyfriends on £15k, now i will only get 125aweek on maternity, and how am i going to be able to return to work when childcare is so expensive, i am so scared,

please please help

Kirsty

xx

coupes

The maternity pay is good. Would you be able to manage on your partners income while you stay with your child? When your child is older you could perhaps go to work part time.

kirstypregnant

well he only gets 220 a week could we manage on that?? and our flat n staff cost £750 a month so dont think we could afford it

vpb23

You would get child benefit plus tax credits and if you decide to go back to work , you can apply for childcare help , which can pay up to 70% of childcare costs depending on what they award you.

kirstypregnant

well i have just spoke to the tax credit helpline and they said i wasnt entitled to tax credits, maybe when the baby is born i will

Firewallrob

Look at http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

If you rent you may get additional help, such as partial rent & council tax paid. Tax credits will be guaranteed at the birth (plus they don't count the first £100 a week earnt)...and be sure to look at the Sure start Maternity Grant (more people actually qualify this after birth than they think, depending on your tax credits)

Morporkian

Yes, because you're both under 25 you won't be able to get tax credits until the baby is born. If you go to www.hmrc.gov.uk they have some tables on there about how much you could get once entitled. They also have a questionaire, but until the baby is born, it won't do much good.

Trust me, you will manage! We didn't even know about tax credits for the first year and were living on my partner's income (£16K gross) and the Child Benefit, which was about £18 a week. It was really hard, but we managed - and so will you

Congrats on the pregnancy by the way, hope everything goes smoothly

kirstypregnant

Thanks a lot, feel a lot better now, i have been worryed sick lately, thanks a lot, i will try again when baby is born thanks
xxx

missmontana

Don't forget to apply for your health in pregnancy grant

http://campaigns2.direct.gov.uk/money4mum2be/en/

there's lots of info on there for mums to be

CB will be £20 pw.

Join all the parenting clubs with the shops and supermarkets you get some really good offers, Boots and Tesco's are excellent.

Start stocking upon things now when its 2 for 1 like wipes and nappies etc, you'll be fine!

Good Luck

a_confused_mum

there are lots of ways you can survive on that.

we have 3 kids and my partner earns less than £17k...I am self employed childminder so money is not guaranteed.

ANyway childcare - check wwhether yours or your partners employers will do the childcare vouchers as this is taken from your pay efore tax.

Also check with tax credits 08453003900 to see if you are eliible for it.

Baby things you can buy cheap and there are a lot of items out there thats not really needed, i didnt need a changing station, mat on the floor is fine...things like this you need to see if you really need etc, check supermarkets etc for deals on nappies etc.

Check freecycle, netmums for freebies etc.

take care.
xx