Are we entitled to anything?

wajoda2002

Hi,

Hope you everyone is enjoying there bank holiday.

I am after a little advice please? I am currently 11 weeks pregnant with our first baby. I have been looking on line to see what/if pregnant woman get.
I have come across the healthy start vouchers and the £500 sure start benefit, however, the website indicate you can only get these if you are on benefits. Is that correct?

My hubby and I both work full time, and are not on fabulous salaries and with our mortgage and credit card payments, we don't have much spare cash.
We are not expecting handouts, but just don't want to miss out on anything.
I have also been looking to baby exercise classes, but there not something we can afford at the moment as they are around £6-£7 a class

Any hlp/advise will be fab...this is all a bit daunting for us and the internet in like a minefield...

McKneff

Well, you will get child benefit once baby is born, are you eligible for maternity pay from work.

kingfisherblue

Benefits don't take into account expenditure, only income. If you are both working full time, it is doubtful if you qualify for any benefits at the moment. Once your baby is born, you will get child benefit and possibly child tax credits (depending on income - assuming no disabilities or childcare, the cut off is about £26,000).

For baby exercise classes, that sounds a lot but it does depend on where you live. In my area, it would be less than £4 a class. If there is a Surestart in your area, you will probably find that they are less expensive. Community centres sometimes offer classes as well.

Fire_Fox

Maybe address the credit card debts, can you transfer the balances to a card with a lower APR? Have you cut the cards up now? Loads of advice on this on the 'Pure Money' boards. Have you run a search on the 'Benefits & Tax Credits' board, or read up on matched betting to make a couple of thousand tax free?

floss2

Fire_Fox wrote: »

....start matched betting to make a couple of thousand tax free?

Is that really a sensible suggestion to a couple expecting their first baby with credit card debts?

Redouble

We are one about 33k and get child tax credits (not much but it does help) and child benefit. I wouldn't bother with a baby exercise class, go to free things to get you out and about, babies don't need much, clothing (get family/friends to buy as much as possible) nappies, a wrap baby carrier and a blanket or two if you only get the very very basics, they don't have to cost a lot of money.
Best wishes

Redouble

floss2 wrote: »

Is that really a sensible suggestion to a couple expecting their first baby with credit card debts?

Agreed! Get matched betting wrong and you're in trouble before you know it!

Fire_Fox

floss2 wrote: »

Is that really a sensible suggestion to a couple expecting their first baby with credit card debts?

What on earth have the credit cards or baby got to do with the price of rice?? Matched Betting needs about £50 to get started, is risk free if you research it properly because matched betting is NOT gambling. There are calculators online so you don't have to do the maths yourself, plenty of people on the MSE matched betting board who will provide support/ second checks and of course they have each other for a double check. Many people open a separate bank account and only place a matched bet with the profit they have made from previous matched bets.

Quite frankly it's a lot more sensible than throwing money down the toilet on credit card interest every month.

wajoda2002

Thank you for your posts.

Yes, I am entitled to maternity pay so will be takin the 9 months off.
We are on 0% for our credit cards, but minimum payments are £350 (we have used them for our house doing it up) at the min and our mortgage is £940.00. My main aim is to try and get the credit cards down so the minimum payments wont be so high.

I have checked HMRC, but when putting in our details, it says we are entitled to child benefit, however my salary will decrease as I will be going back part time so it's hard to get accurate details at the moment.

I was more confused over the healthy start vouchers and the £500 grant, as it said you already had to be on benefits to claim them?

We are very excited and I have my scan next week so hopefully then (when it's very real) hubby will tighten his belt a bit more :rotfl:

lilymay1

Hi Wajoda.

You won't be entitled to the healthy start vouchers or the grant. If you can pay a £1000 mortgage every month its quite unlikely you'll be entitled to any help at all to be honest.

As you have identified you'll get child benefit when the baby is born (but that's a long way off yet).

Enjoy your pregnancy

Horseunderwater

wajoda2002 wrote: »

Thank you for your posts.

Yes, I am entitled to maternity pay so will be takin the 9 months off.
We are on 0% for our credit cards, but minimum payments are £350 (we have used them for our house doing it up) at the min and our mortgage is £940.00. My main aim is to try and get the credit cards down so the minimum payments wont be so high.

I have checked HMRC, but when putting in our details, it says we are entitled to child benefit, however my salary will decrease as I will be going back part time so it's hard to get accurate details at the moment.

I was more confused over the healthy start vouchers and the £500 grant, as it said you already had to be on benefits to claim them?

We are very excited and I have my scan next week so hopefully then (when it's very real) hubby will tighten his belt a bit more :rotfl:

It is a very exciting time - especially the first. Mind you I only had one. Health problems.
Consider getting some baby equipment from freegle/freecycle sites local to you. Baby baths for example, a cot, just buy new mattress. Go visit car boot sales and buy baby grows in a variety of sizes bigger than new born. They grow quickly, so many people buy new, just look at it, is it stained or torn? If not, it will be fine to use for the short time the wee one needs it. Make sure you get the right type of pram/pushchair combi car seat. Will it be usuable beyond the 9 month point? Basically use common sense on spending. Try to keep colour scheme for clothing neutral until baby is born, then you can go down the pink/blue route if you choose. Mine wore any and every colour though after. Has not stopped her. Now left school with plenty of A passes in her exams. Nappies - can be obtained either via freegle for real ones or you can buy disposables. Look into those costs.
Anyway enjoy this time.