finances/new babies/maternity etc etc....

vroombroom

Hello everyone

Hope you are all well. Its been a while since I posted so just to update you and I need to get advice on a few things!

OH and I moved in together last month I am now 23 weeks and having a little boy:D which we are thrilled about

I have told my work and am yet to receive any forms from them (promised in October). One of my first questions is about maternity leave - I can leave 11 weeks before my due date, but will get 90% of my wages for 6 weeks, then 15% plus SMP thereafter. Does this commennce the day I take my leave? (eg, am due 20 April, thinking of leaving around 25th March)

Second question - as we are not entitled to the health in pregnancy grant or the £500 surestart voucher, we are doing things on a budget. What things are acceptable to buy secondhand for a newborn? (We're not poor by any means but looking in Babies R Us/Mothercare etc etc £200 for a pram, £399 for furniture etc...!)

thanks x

brians_daughter

vroombroom wrote: »

Hello everyone

Hope you are all well. Its been a while since I posted so just to update you and I need to get advice on a few things!

OH and I moved in together last month I am now 23 weeks and having a little boy:D which we are thrilled about

I have told my work and am yet to receive any forms from them (promised in October). One of my first questions is about maternity leave - I can leave 11 weeks before my due date, but will get 90% of my wages for 6 weeks, then 15% plus SMP thereafter. Does this commennce the day I take my leave? (eg, am due 20 April, thinking of leaving around 25th March)

Second question - as we are not entitled to the health in pregnancy grant or the £500 surestart voucher, we are doing things on a budget. What things are acceptable to buy secondhand for a newborn? (We're not poor by any means but looking in Babies R Us/Mothercare etc etc £200 for a pram, £399 for furniture etc...!)

thanks x

congrats!

Yes, your mat pay starts the day you starts your leave. so if in march you got paid monthly you would get normal pay til the day you worked then 90% for the remainder of the month.

Its acceptable to buy anything 2nd hand apart from (IMO)

MATRESSES, A 2ND HAND COT OR MOSES BASKET IS FINE, JUST REPLACE THE MATRESS

CAR SEAT - unless you know where it has come from i always buy news.. few reasons.. if involved in an accident you should replace and if over 5 years old you should replace. So unless you are 100% convinced its not been in an accident then buy new.

Bottles, sterilisers, dummies etc should all be purchased new.

Everything else, including prams are great 2nd hand bargains! Babies grow so quickly you will find half the stuff on ebay will be brand new with tags as baby never got to wear them..

Tip.. dont buy too many newborn sized clothes as they grow so quicklya dn ppl tend to buy for you when baby is born if you have close family/mates etc ..as for furniture you will find ikea stock a great range at a fraction of mothercare etc... anything that has 'baby' connected is over priced lol

Good luck!

honeypop

Pretty much anything can be used second hand if you need to, except it's recommended to get new mattress and car seat - so get new mattress for second hand cot/moses basket/crib. If family had not been so generous with our first, we were prepared to get everything second hand if needed.

With regard to your maternity pay, if 15% plus SMP is your company policy then yes this will follow the first 6 weeks of 90% of your wages and it will all start on your first day of maternity leave. You need to inform them which day will be the start of your maternity leave by the time you are 25 weeks pregnant.

newcook

at the moment you may not be able to claim the £500 surestart voucher but you will be after 6 weeks of your maternity leave as you will be entitled to claim for income support due to the drop from 90% to £124.00pw.

I think this is right anyway! I have been reading up on this sort of thing myself as me and OH are going to try for a baby next year after we have moved in together!

brians_daughter

Why would op be able to get income support? She is employed and getting SMP? OP you may be able to claim the surestart £500 after baby is born as you may get the appropriate level of tax credits.

vroombroom

thanks guys, I never thought of Ikea! will get scouring Ebay :-)

Brians daughter - we are not eliglbe for the £500 due to our wages (I'm on £14075 and partner £16795) but we can save that between us

newcook

brians_daughter wrote: »

Why would op be able to get income support? She is employed and getting SMP? OP you may be able to claim the surestart £500 after baby is born as you may get the appropriate level of tax credits.

from directgov.uk:

SMP if you are claiming benefits or tax credits
If you or your partner or civil partner are claiming benefits or tax credits, you may be able to get a Sure Start Maternity Grant.

If you receive SMP, you may claim Income Support to top up your income.

Sure Start Maternity Grant Tax credits Income Support



some companies have their own maternity pay scheme but if they use the bog-standard SMP where you get 90% of your pay for 6 weeks then it drops to £124.00 per week you are allowed to claim income support because in theory your income has dropped

vroombroom

:DHi Newcook - as stated. we are not eligible for the SUre Start Maternity Grant (the £500) and we don't claim tax credits either as we are not entitled to them. Thank for for posting the link though:D

newcook

vroombroom wrote: »

thanks guys, I never thought of Ikea! will get scouring Ebay :-)

Brians daughter - we are not eliglbe for the £500 due to our wages (I'm on £14075 and partner £16795) but we can save that between us

vroombroom - you will be able to claim this after 6 weeks - obviously it would be handier to have it before the littl'un is born so you can get a headstart in getting things but its better than not getting it at all!

vroombroom

but I will be getting 15% from my normal wages x

GarnetLady

Surestart Grant also has an earnings limit of about £15000, so vroombroom is correct, she won't be eligible.