stopping health in start and sure start maternint grants

tinkerbell28

Deepmistrust wrote: »

I must be thinking of something else then. I thought that if you qualified for SMP (which I'm also assuming you do?) that you can't get the maternity grant?

Yeah you can, ss is rediculously easy to get considering it's supposed to be for the "poor".

Deepmistrust

tinkerbell28 wrote: »

Yeah you can, ss is rediculously easy to get considering it's supposed to be for the "poor".

I think I was thinking of Maternity Allowance anyway?

If the genuine poor needed this grant, and it's been slashed, then it probably would have made more sense to tighten up on means testing it - making sure only those in genuine need got it, rather than slashing it for everyone.

tinkerbell28

Deepmistrust wrote: »

I think I was thinking of Maternity Allowance anyway?

If the genuine poor needed this grant, and it's been slashed, then it probably would have made more sense to tighten up on means testing it - making sure only those in genuine need got it, rather than slashing it for everyone.

MA is only payable if you don't qualify for SMP yes at the same rates.

TBH I think they have ss right on, £500 for the first baby is plenty, the big items which this grant is supposed to be for can be handed down. I never understood giving it many times over.

Lip_Stick

andyandflo wrote: »

I agree completely!
OK my children were born in 1981 and times have moved on, but for goodness sake what is this country coming to?

This smacks of single girls having kids so as to stay on IS and other handouts including housing.
I am seriously coming round to the idea that we do away with the Welfare State, and everybody looks after themselves! As I have said in the past - If you can't afford it - you can't have it!!

What is so wrong with budgeting your own finances and if you think you can afford one OK - but surely not at the expense of us taxpayers. Taking the Michael or what!!

How can it 'smack of single girls'? The OP has a partner. Why do some people lump single parents into the sponger's bracket? Slightly prejudiced I'd say. There's plenty of couples living off benefits with umpteen children.

Deepmistrust

tinkerbell28 wrote: »

MA is only payable if you don't qualify for SMP yes at the same rates.

TBH I think they have ss right on, £500 for the first baby is plenty, the big items which this grant is supposed to be for can be handed down. I never understood giving it many times over.

Without getting into a drawn out debate on the cost of baby equipment, I think that the grant itself is quite an accurate reflection of the requirements of a first-time parent. Yes most people do save much of their equipment, I think a more ideal scenario would be a much reduced rate for subsequent children, rather than nothing at all. Because those in need of the grant, will still have some costs for baby 2 etc.

And does it mean if you didn't qualify for baby 1, and find yourself in need for baby 2 that you still can't get it?

Deepmistrust

Lip_Stick wrote: »

How can it 'smack of single girls'? The OP has a partner. Why do some people lump single parents into the sponger's bracket? Slightly prejudiced I'd say. There's plenty of couples living off benefits with umpteen children.

It's an "ism" which is entrenched into the minds of typical Daily Mail reading minds. In this particular case, it's sexism. It involves a failure to see the fickle fathers responsibility in all this, instead concentrating on the person who is literally left holding the baby.

Easy targets.

tinkerbell28

Deepmistrust wrote: »

Without getting into a drawn out debate on the cost of baby equipment, I think that the grant itself is quite an accurate reflection of the requirements of a first-time parent. Yes most people do save much of their equipment, I think a more ideal scenario would be a much reduced rate for subsequent children, rather than nothing at all. Because those in need of the grant, will still have some costs for baby 2 etc.

And does it mean if you didn't qualify for baby 1, and find yourself in need for baby 2 that you still can't get it?

Well the logic is there are you have a child you should have all of the big items already what is what the ss is supposed to be for.

lauren_1

Partially I am glad to see these grants being axed, i am due in february so will still qualify but to be honest if i didnt it wouldnt bother me, I hope to have a job by then and do it off my own back but thanks to ebay, family, charity shops and freecycle we can do it for less than £100

Hopefully stopping these grants not only would save a bucket load, it wouldn't be an incentive to have children you cant afford. A few years ago i saw a leaflet for the sure start grant, it had in big red letters on the front £500 FOR YOUR BABY It really sickened me.

I hope it will also crackdown this stupid 'yummy mummy pram culture' a pram is a pram, not a fashion statement.

Might also encourage families to hold on to things, my mum had the same pram for 18 years and our old cot is still going strong.

Deepmistrust

lauren_1 wrote: »

Partially I am glad to see these grants being axed, i am due in february so will still qualify but to be honest if i didnt it wouldnt bother me, I hope to have a job by then and do it off my own back but thanks to ebay, family, charity shops and freecycle we can do it for less than £100

Hopefully stopping these grants not only would save a bucket load, it wouldn't be an incentive to have children you cant afford. A few years ago i saw a leaflet for the sure start grant, it had in big red letters on the front £500 FOR YOUR BABY It really sickened me.

I hope it will also crackdown this stupid 'yummy mummy pram culture' a pram is a pram, not a fashion statement.

Might also encourage families to hold on to things, my mum had the same pram for 18 years and our old cot is still going strong.

So I assume you won't be claiming yours then?

lauren_1

Deepmistrust wrote: »

So I assume you won't be claiming yours then?

Like I said before, i hope to be working by then, if im not then yes i will claim it (who wouldnt) but i can say hand on heart not even half will be spent on baby stuff. And thats the problem the £500 grant is a good £250-300 more than it should be.

I would rather take my entire family away to benidorm

Im just being honest in saying that, i know i can get everything i need for the baby at less than £100, it may not all be flash (i got a infinity for £30, in brilliant nick) but doesnt mean im going to spend £400 extra to be flash.