Second baby on way, what will benefits be?

skintio

Hi everyone,

Have just found out im expecting again, I already have a four year old, and am on benefits (income support,child tax cred and child ben), I am at college and finish my 2 year course in july this year, was planning on working after that but thats out the window now.. Im with the babys father, but we dont live together, he lives in the same road as me so hes not exactly far! Anyway what id like to know is how much my benefits will go up after ive had the baby, ive been told you dont get as much for a second child? The main reason for asking is because i really would like to go back to work after the baby, ill be a qualified beautician in july and have always wanted to do this and am just wanting to know my financial situation, and if I should plan to try and go back to work (i could get a placement organised through college), working as a newly qualified beaty therapist isnt the best money either though...

Thanks in advance, hope ive made sense x

Thought of something else, Does anyone know if im entitled to anything whilst pregnant x

GeorginaAlexi

While you are pregnant you are entitled to 1 Healthy Start Voucher (£2.80) to use for milk, fruit and veg once you are 10 weeks. This will increase to 2 vouchers once baby is born and then reduce back to 1 after 1st year and continue until child is 4yrs. Get form from Doctors/JobCenterPlus

You can apply for a Sure Start Maternity Grant (£500 per baby) once you are 30/32 weeks. Get form from JobCenterPlus or download from benefits site.

Child Benefit for 2nd child is less than 1st child (£12ish)

Child Tax Credit is more in the first year than 2nd year- I couldn't advise amount as it varies but also if you go back to work then depending on hours per week you'll be elligable for working tax credit and if your employer is up to date- tax-free childcare vouchers.

also while on benefits you can train for free- so you could always do another level on your beautician course or branch out on to anextra skill.

hth

welshcakes

To be honest, I'm not sure how many positive replies your post will get because my first thought upon reading was why on earth have you gone and got pregnant again when you're on benefits, single, just finishing college (which I presume was fee free) and was planning on joining the working sector of tax payers.

As far as I know you aren't entitled to any additional benefits just because you're pregnant however you will get a further £11.70 per week extra child benefit. Your CTC will increase but there are no additional benefits to those which you are already entitled to.

I think it's a good ethos to always plan and want to go out to work and whilst it sometimes doesn't seem as attractive as laying back on benefits, the long term 'benefits' are immeasurable. Even if you do go back to work, the fact that it's not a highly paid sector will mean that you will likely still get assistance with council tax and rent.

badmumof1

welshcakes wrote:

To be honest, I'm not sure how many positive replies your post will get because my first thought upon reading was why on earth have you gone and got pregnant again when you're on benefits, single, just finishing college (which I presume was fee free) and was planning on joining the working sector of tax payers.

As far as I know you aren't entitled to any additional benefits just because you're pregnant however you will get a further £11.70 per week extra child benefit. Your CTC will increase but there are no additional benefits to those which you are already entitled to.

I think it's a good ethos to always plan and want to go out to work and whilst it sometimes doesn't seem as attractive as laying back on benefits, the long term 'benefits' are immeasurable. Even if you do go back to work, the fact that it's not a highly paid sector will mean that you will likely still get assistance with council tax and rent.

i have to admit i was thinking that too

skintio

My course actually wasnt free (and even if it had been, how are people on benefits meant to retrain without help, surely that is helping people to get qualified/back to work?) , where i live our learning support (people who help with fees and costs of books, kit etc) has had loads of cut backs and hardly helps any adult learners, and i didnt get any help, instead i took a loan out so i could re-train so i havent had any help except for concession fees, which are for people on benefits or a low income. I have provided all my own kit to practice at home and it is not cheap the stuff you need, but i was prepared to pay out as it is what i wanted to do. My choice.

I am not simply laying back on benefits, I stopped working after my first child and and as soon as i felt i could/wanted to leave her in nursery ( I actually enjoyed being with my daughter and would still love to be at home with her 24/7 but know I cant be, im sure just like people who have to go back to work for financial reasons), i did and went back to college to re-train.

And as for planning/not planning my pregnancy, I was actually on the pill, and it has been a total shock, but I'm not going to abort a baby just because of that, it's not the babies fault the pill failed, and if my going back to work has to wait then so be it. Like the other poster before you suggested maybe i could do some extra courses at night or something to help myself get even more qualified, or a one day a week course as i know they do them, I was trying to be sensible by posting and asking how much i will be entitled too. And as for being entitled to extra benefits whilst im pregnant, i know i wont be entitled to any more, it was the vouchers and grants that i was referring to as i remember having that with my daughter but didnt remember exactly what they were etc.

So im not a scrounger (not saying you said that), and id hate for people to think i am, i just wanted some advice, if people are going to judge me then so be it. I didnt really want to have to explain how/why i got pregnant, or anything else but hopefully itll explain my situation more.

I am also new to posting and sometimes dont know how to pose a question right.

I Have just re-read what you wrote and noticed you think im single, I am not single, just because my partner lives over the road does not make me single, we have been together 2 years so id hardly class that as on my own, and the reason we dont live together is because we choose not to and it works beacause his house is literally 7 down from mine.

rich_in_norwich

You wrote:

I Have just re-read what you wrote and noticed you think im single, I am not single, just because my partner lives over the road does not make me single, we have been together 2 years so id hardly class that as on my own, and the reason we dont live together is because we choose not to and it works beacause his house is literally 7 down from mine.

I reply:

Don't forget that another benefit is that by living at two separate addresses with your partner living with his mum, you are able to claim tax credits for your household without having to add in his income, which would massively reduce your tax credits. Of course it works!

welshcakes

I was speaking of single in respect of living as a single adult (ie your household and therefore I presume your entitlements being based on you presenting as a single residential parent and not part of a cohabiting/married couple). Assuming your boyfriend is working, would it be financially better for you to live in one household and therefore only have one set of bills, one rent etc - as a couple you would be entitiled to WTC.

I was not shooting you down believe me, if I were I would not have bothered looking up the child benefit rate for additional children. As many others have suggested on other threads, would you consider going self employed and working from home so you could suit your hours to motherhood? There are a lot of small business start up grants and free legal advice - BusinessEye is a good site for this.

skintio

Hi Rich,

Thanks for that, because he works and gets a decent enough wage it would seriously reduce my money, also because hes not my little girls dad ive never wanted to put the pressure on him to move in (mind you if we're not at his he's here lol) and provide for us, also i like having my own money even if its not alot, im quite independant and have had bad experiences with my ex and money so it just suited us to stay living apart and not rely on him. Obviously now im pregnant things will change and i may want him too move in but who knows...and like you say it works, hes really happy im pregnant even though it was a big big shock and we'll have to see what the future brings. thanks for your help..

skintio

Welshcakes, ok, just the way it was wrote i took it that you meant id gone and got pregnant whilst not having a partner..

i have thought about going self employed, but to be totally honest i havent got a clue how to go about it and always thought i wouldnt have the initial outlay to start it up..il have a look at that site youve recommended thanks.
My partner doesnt pay rent, him and his mum co-own there house so they have a joint mortgage so i see what you were saying but obv hes got responsibilities there.. Thanks for finding out about the rates ..

krisskross

I think you must look to both the fathers of your children to provide for you. As you say you have a partner of 2 years standing then it is his responsibility to provide. You will be fully entitled to child benefit for your 2nd child.

viccig

To be honest, I'm not sure how many positive replies your post will get because my first thought upon reading was why on earth have you gone and got pregnant again when you're on benefits, single, just finishing college (which I presume was fee free) and was planning on joining the working sector of tax payers.

IMO the OP should not have to justify her pregnancy to anyone, she was just looking for help and advice not to be judged on her circumstances.

Congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck finishing your course x