Things to do once first baby is born

bigdave146

Hello

My wife and I are due to have our first child in November this year :beer:

Does anyone have any information about what can be claimed or changes to mine and my wifes personal tax circumstances (childcare vouchers, family allowance, changes to tax code or anything like that) once the child is born ? Is there anything else (other than start saving for Uni fees...) that I can take advantage of thats offered from the HMRC ? Has Martin done an article on this subject ?

If anyone can help that would be great.

Thanks

Dave

jo_b_2

bigdave146 wrote:

Has Martin done an article on this subject ?

There's an article about Childcare Vouchers HERE and an article about Child Trust Funds HERE

You might find this one HERE useful as well, as it looks at moneysaving on nappies!

Sponge

Firstly, congratulations! We had our first child (a boy) in February and it's the best thing that has ever happened to us.

I dithered and dallied with my tax forms and submitted them only a couple of months ago. It's recommended to get them in within 3 months of the babies birth - so that's my first tip.

The working tax credit and child tax credit application were on the same form and it's easier than it looks to fill in. My wife and I earned to much to qualify for working tax credit, but we got child tax credit to the tune of £1000 per year.

I'd recommend Googling for anything yu can think of linked to babies and register for as many freebies as possible. The main one I think is the Bounty packs. There's loads of freebies and leaflets that help you find out what you're entitled to.

Sazere

Register Birth
Do as soon as possible, will be able to claim for Child Benefit then. You will get child's NHS card/number following registration.

Child Benefit
Once baby is born, look in Bounty Packs given out in hospital or by health visitor/midwife - should be form for applying for Child Benefit, need to register birth to claim.

Child Tax Credit
You'll need to apply for Child Tax Credit as soon as your baby is born. Call the Tax Credits helpline. If you live in England, Scotland or Wales call 0845 300 3900, textphone 0845 300 3909. If you live in Northern Ireland, call 0845 603 2000, textphone 0845 607 6078. Lines are open every day from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm. You get extra money til your child is 12 months old.

Sure Start Maternity Grant
A Sure Start Maternity Grant is intended to help you pay for the immediate needs of a new-born baby if your income is low. It is paid from the Social Fund as a lump sum, and you do not have to pay it back. A Sure Start Maternity Grant is paid when the conditions below are satisfied. It is not limited by a budget and everyone who is entitled will get a payment or grant. The grant is £500 for each baby.

Who can get Sure Start Maternity Grants?
You are eligible for a Sure Start Maternity Grant if you or your partner are getting Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit, Working Tax Credit where a disability or severe disability element is included in the award or Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than the family element. If you have a partner, either of you may apply for the grant. But if your partner applies, the name of the child’s mother should be included.

If you have any savings
Savings do not affect Sure Start Maternity Grants.

How Sure Start Maternity Grants are paid
Payment will usually be made by Direct Payment into a bank, building society or Post Office® card account which you have nominated.

Effect on other benefits
There will be no effect on other benefits from having a Sure Start Maternity Grant.

How to claim
You can claim from 11 weeks before the week your baby is due, until your baby is 3 months old. Contact your Jobcentre Plus office or social security office and ask for claim form SF100 (Sure Start). Claim forms can also be accessed at the Department’s website: https://www.dwp.gov.uk


Free milk, infant formula, vitamins, fruit and vegetables
You may be entitled to free milk, infant formula and vitamins under the Welfare Food Scheme or free milk, fruit and vegetables, infant formula and vitamins under the Healthy Start scheme.

Who is eligible for the Welfare Food Scheme?
You may qualify if you don’t live in Devon or Cornwall, you’re pregnant and/or have at least one child under five years old and your family gets any of the following:
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) with an annual family income of £14,155 or less

What do you get?
Tokens for four litres (seven pints) of cow’s milk a week for you if you’re pregnant, and for each child over one and under five years old
tokens for 900 grams of infant formula a week for each child under one year old and free vitamins.

How to claim Welfare Food Scheme tokens
If you're pregnant you’ll need to complete an application form and get it signed by your midwife or other health professional to confirm the baby’s expected delivery date. Apply as soon as you are 10 weeks pregnant.

Send the completed form to the Token Distribution Unit (TDU):
Token Distribution Unit, The Issuing Unit
Freepost ANG 2037
Chelmsford, CM1 3BR
Helpline 0845 850 1032, textphone 0845 601 7698.
The application form is included in leaflet 'Free milk for pregnant women'.
You can download the leaflet, below, from the Department of Health website.

If you have a child under five years old
You'll need to apply for Child Tax Credit as soon as your baby is born. Call the Tax Credits helpline. If you live in England, Scotland or Wales call 0845 300 3900, textphone 0845 300 3909. If you live in Northern Ireland, call 0845 603 2000, textphone 0845 607 6078. Lines are open every day from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm. You don’t need to apply separately for tokens – you'll get them automatically when your Child Tax Credit is processed. But if you were already getting milk tokens when you were pregnant, call the TDU on 0845 850 1032, textphone 0845 601 7698 when your baby is born to tell them you now need infant tokens.

In November the scheme is changing and I have been advised that tokens will only be issued until child's 4th birthday, this may depend on where you live as the free fruit & vegetable scheme is being rolled out across UK at the moment.

Child Trust Fund
Will get sent voucher through the post, takes time though, so investigate who you are going to place voucher with, what type of account, etc.

I hope this helps!

starlite_2

Register the baby with a G.P asap! we totaly forgot this until he was 3 m.o and got a cold and we panicked..lol!

starlite_2

Oh, and your wife will recieve free dental treatment and prescriptions for a year after the birth, so be sure she has her certificate at any appointments.

Many local authorities offer a £100 grant for buying reusable nappies too, so this is well worth checking. They save money in the long term, are better the for environment and your baby and can be resold on ebay once your baby has outgrown them for close to rrp, even used, so it's something to consider!