HELP 2 babies in 14 mnths now cant return to work what can i claim ?

moneysavingfamilycomp

thanks HRV thats my next panic that when we go for scan theyll tell me its twins lol. i know of someone that happened to she has 11mnths between her 1st and the twins. we wont need much i buy from charity shops and ebay anyway and i still have all of DDs stuff as never got round to putting it on ebay. at first i dont think il be going far on my own so we are hoping we can manage with DDs pram for baby and the stroller we bought her and then buy a second hand double buggy later. i actually think itll be easier to get round places like that anyway.

property.advert

I would plan for a reduction in the largesse in benefits to which the OP is currently entitled. The general public are rightly getting sick to the back teeth with this benefits overload. Even the OP states that they cannot cope on her husband's wage alone but whilst acknowledging she probably cannot return to work, they were trying for another baby. So by the OP's own admission, they were trying for a baby which they could not afford but which they knew would come with huge benefits attached !

No wonder the country is bust.

welshmoneylover

property.advert wrote: »

I would plan for a reduction in the largesse in benefits to which the OP is currently entitled. The general public are rightly getting sick to the back teeth with this benefits overload. Even the OP states that they cannot cope on her husband's wage alone but whilst acknowledging she probably cannot return to work, they were trying for another baby. So by the OP's own admission, they were trying for a baby which they could not afford but which they knew would come with huge benefits attached !

No wonder the country is bust.

Well said.

euronorris

moneysavingfamilycomp wrote: »

thanks HRV thats my next panic that when we go for scan theyll tell me its twins lol. i know of someone that happened to she has 11mnths between her 1st and the twins. we wont need much i buy from charity shops and ebay anyway and i still have all of DDs stuff as never got round to putting it on ebay. at first i dont think il be going far on my own so we are hoping we can manage with DDs pram for baby and the stroller we bought her and then buy a second hand double buggy later. i actually think itll be easier to get round places like that anyway.

It happened to my brother and his wife. Similar story. Took them years to conceive the first, so they didn't bother with contraception after the birth, and 9 months later she was pregnant with twins!

They got through it! With careful planning, budgetting and help from friends and family (mostly directly after the birth - c-section).

My SIL stayed at home for a couple of years, and then started working part time.

It was a struggle at first, but they soon got into a routine, and as they got older things started to ease financially and my brother finished his degree, got a promotion and a payrise etc. It can be done, and all of the kids are lovely

But....don't panic or worry about that yet. It's more likely than you have just the one in there. So, as my OH always say, don't worry until there's something to worry about!

JodyBPM

I had two 14 months apart. Hard work, but worth it!

Since you have to repay some occupational mat pay, would it not make sense for you to go back to work between no 1 & no 2? I appreciate your concerns re prem birth, or struggling in the last month or so, but if you cannot manage it, you would be signed off sick/or start your mat leave early. This would mean that you don't have to repay your occ mat pay, plus you would be able to claim SMP for the next set of mat leave. It also would put the decision as to whether or not you can afford 2 in childcare off for another year to give you some time and headspace to consider your options. You wouldn't have to wait until September to go back, you can give notice and go back at any time - so you could go back in May for example, have a few months wages in your pocket and not have to pay back occ mat pay, plus qualify for another period of leave (remember SMP doesn't need to be paid back, so you might choose to only take SMP next time if you don't think you can afford the childcare with no2)

Re making items and selling on ebay. It's a lovely idea, BUT, as someone who is a keen sewer, I know that I would not be able sell handmade products at a price that would pay for the materials and cover my time. Its the kind of thing to do because you love it, not to make money! For example to make a lined tote bag in Cath Kidston fabric would probably cost me £10 to make plus 3- 4 hours of my time - So £10 materials plus (3x£6ph time) =£28 - It would never sell for more than £10-12! Unless you have a very good source of cheap desirable fabrics (and they really need to be Cath Kidston or similar to command a higher price bracket or generic fabrics like Clarke & Clarke you will not be able to charge as much for) or a particular specialist skill, it is unlikely you could make a living wage from making things and selling them. Don't let me put you off from trying if you have a particular idea for a niche item that you think will really work, but it may be worth considering a plan B!

Good luck with whatever you decide.

moneysavingfamilycomp

property.advert wrote: »

I would plan for a reduction in the largesse in benefits to which the OP is currently entitled. The general public are rightly getting sick to the back teeth with this benefits overload. Even the OP states that they cannot cope on her husband's wage alone but whilst acknowledging she probably cannot return to work, they were trying for another baby. So by the OP's own admission, they were trying for a baby which they could not afford but which they knew would come with huge benefits attached !

No wonder the country is bust.

i appreciate you have your opinion but as the following is a quote from one of YOUR threads i think you have a bit of a cheek. :mad:

I'm on benefits but if I got a job which would still be a low enough salary for me to claim Working Tax Credits, Child Tax Credits and some help with my rent and Council Tax

basically at some point you have been the problem that the general public are sick to the back teeth of. :eek:

savingannie

I would just like to say a big congratulations and personally i think every single baby in life is a gift from god(and im not religous in any way).
I think its a disgrace to all those people who are slatting a grown adult woman whose is having kids with her partner and who has worked for years.At the end of the day the woman is having two kids(not 6 or 7).
I personally think a lot of the problem withn this country is we are all too quick to judge other peoples lives.
You go right ahead and look for all the benefits you can get to help and never feel guilty for one minute because you worked to provide money for other people on benefits in the past.
I also think with a young baby and the news of another the poor womans hormones will be all over the place and what she needs is a bit of support not judgement.
Money is always a worry in life but do you know what youll manage fine im sure,i would enjoy my kids because there smiles and laughs on a bad day make everything a lot better.

Catmom

My 2 children were born 14 months apart. I was 16 years old when my eldest was born. My Husband worked full time, including shift work, to support our family. I took part-time jobs around his working hours to supplement his wages. At one point I had 3 separate part-time jobs to keep the money coming in. The only benefit we ever received was Family Allowance (Child Benefit as its now known as). Whatever happened to partners working around each other to provide childcare and enable both to go out to work???

brownbabygirl

poor OP. sorry OP. you would have received great support on the benefits board. congratulations on your gift. it shall be well!