Single Mum on maternity leave from uni - what would I be entitiled to?

ABetterLife

Hello all

I am new here, although I have been a lurker for quite some time. I need some advice if you would be so kind to lend me some.

So. Basically.

I am a student Nurse and currently 35 weeks pregnant. I also work 1 day a week, earning £63 at 7 p/h for 9 hours. I was previously working for 10 hours, earning £70 but I recently changed it as getting up at 6am at this stage of pregnancy was becoming impossible.

I receive £538 per month from NHS bursaries and £1079 in September, January and April (but I likely WON'T be getting this last payment in April as I will be on maternity leave, although I am going to request that they still pay this to me under the 60 day ruling).

I am currently not entitled to any benefits as a full time student, so struggle along paying everything alone. Unfortunately, my daughter's Father left me when I was 6 weeks pregnant and continues to refuse to talk to me. I plan to file for CSA when she is born, however.

My outgoings:

TV license - £29.10 p/m
Rent - £103.70 p/w
Phone bill - £57 p/m
Ipad bill - £26 p/m
Travelcard - £98.70 p/m
Debt repayment plan (Lloyd) - £10 p/m
Arrears from temporary accommodation - £40 p/m
Gas/Electric - quarterly billing but roughly £104 p/m for both.
Food bill - I'm really not sure but I would estimate roughly £100.

Total = £879.6 p/m (based on a 4 week month).

Income - £790?!

I will be going on maternity leave from the 27th of this month. NHS bursaries (thankfully!) continue to pay my bursary for a year, however, I will not be entitled to SMP from my work. I have worked there continuously for over a year, and was earning between £168-£245 whilst there (part time while studying for my access course, then full time until I started university in September). However, since September I started part time hence not being entitled any more. I think I can apply for maternity allowance, however, this isn't going to be very much, is it? Like 90% of my earnings.

I am a bit confused about what I will be entitled to, benefits wise, while on maternity leave. I was looking to apply for child tax credits, child benefit, income support, housing benefit and, if I get accepted for income support, the Sure Start grant.

Thanks in advance for your help, feel free to ask questions and sorry for the long post!

themull1

Hi, Congratulations!! If you go onto entitledto.com, it gives an idea of what you could be entitled to.

Poppie68

I don't think the entitledto calculator is much good if your a student. I'm pretty certain you will not be able to claim income support and if your still in reciept of student finance etc your sitiuation won't change much except for child benefit and maybe tax credits. Blondebubbles will be around i sure soon and can help with regards to tax credits.

RAS

As a student nurse, you will be paid your bursary throughout your maternity leave?

What makes you think otherwise?

ABetterLife

Thanks for the replies!

themull1 wrote: »

Hi, Congratulations!! If you go onto entitledto.com, it gives an idea of what you could be entitled to.

Thank you! I used the Government benefits calculator but I don't think it's accurate because of my status as a student (even though I will be off for a year from 27th March 2014-27th March 2015).

Poppie68 wrote: »

I don't think the entitledto calculator is much good if your a student. I'm pretty certain you will not be able to claim income support and if your still in reciept of student finance etc your sitiuation won't change much except for child benefit and maybe tax credits. Blondebubbles will be around i sure soon and can help with regards to tax credits.

I can't get income support? damn, I don't think I can get the Sure Start grant then, which seems unfair!

I won't get student loan while I'm off, just the bursary of £538 a month and the MA of £50 something if I'm lucky x

blondebubbles wrote: »

Is there anyway of reducing your outgoings? For example, your tv licence seems quite high? Do you need your iPad? Does your phone bill include tv/internet? Any way of reducing that?

Once your child is born you will qualify for child tax credits and child benefit, roughly about £84 per week.

I think I could somehow, just need a bit of help! I think I could save with my shopping, as I shop at Sainsburys and buy a lot of brand name stuff. I'd like to stay with Sainsburys though, as they are closest to me and I have a nectar card

I think my TV license is that high because I'm a new license holder. I think it goes down a little bit later on in the year. There's nothing I can do to make it cheaper, though I can choose to pay it all in one lump sum.

I guess I don't need my iPad but I wouldn't like to get rid of it. I am also locked into a 24 month contract. I think I have about 18 months or so still left on it.

Unfortunately, I made rash decisions and in my desperation to get the iPhone 5s RIGHT NOW and get out of my Tmobile contract with its awful signal, my £57 p/m phone bill is JUST for my iPhone This is also a 24 month contract, only opened in December.

I do not currently have wifi, though I am looking to get it installed at some point. TV wise, I use a Freeview box and my iPad to watch anything I miss.

RE the child tax credits and child benefit, how long roughly does it take for a claim to get processed? Is it a long time? Just worried about how I will survive in the interim and don't want hassle from companies for money when I've just given birth!

ABetterLife

RAS wrote: »

As a student nurse, you will be paid your bursary throughout your maternity leave?

What makes you think otherwise?

I don't understand what you mean?

RAS

http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students/Documents/Students/Financial_Help_for_Healthcare_Students_2013-14_(V1.0)_09.2013.pdf

Page 47 - paid for 52 weeks.

Speak to your Welfare Office or the person who manages your uni's notifiucation to NHSSBA

Poppie68

blondebubbles wrote: »

Is there anyway of reducing your outgoings? For example, your tv licence seems quite high? Do you need your iPad? Does your phone bill include tv/internet? Any way of reducing that?

Once your child is born you will qualify for child tax credits and child benefit, roughly about £84 per week.

From reading another post of the OP's she has got her self into a little debt....nothing i think that can't be sorted though.

Just keeping the roof over your head is the most important, along with electric/gas and food. All other debts and bills can be sorted after the above are paid.

I notice you have quarterly gas bills, why not consider a meter even though some people say you pay alot more aleast you are not having to pay out a large amount every 3 months.

As Blondebubbles said your TV licence is that correct? I understand you need a computer for your uni work but you need to try and get out of the Ipad contract and buy a second hand laptop or you can pick up a desktop cheaper...even worth asking friends or family if they have one begging.

You have debt for previous housing, who do you pay this to?
Remember paying non priority debts is not going to keep the roof over your head and reducing the payments to the min will make a big difference. These can be sorted when you are in a better financial postition.

Babies can be expensive but don't have to be...keep an eye on freecycle for clothes etc...carboots. Try and find a local baby clothes exchange, someone was telling me about one they have come across. 1 morning a month mothers get together and swap grown out of cothes and toys etc....

tomtontom

Sell the ipad.
Sell the iphone, get a cheap phone and put your contract sim in it.
The travel card is not essential until you are back at work/ uni.
Once baby is born you'll get child tax credits, child benefit and possibly help with rent.
Good luck!

Poppie68

It took 3 weeks for my daughter to sort out her CB and CTC, just makesure you register your baby as soon as possible.

ABetterLife

blondebubbles wrote: »

Try and get the forms before you give birth and fill them out as much as possible, that way it will just be a case of putting baby's name and dob on it. You need to call for a tax credit form. I think you can get a child benefit form online. Think the timescales are around 3 weeks to process a tax credit claim from when they receive it as long as they don't need to do any checks/need more info.

That's a good idea, I'll do that. Thank you for your help!

Any ideas what their threshold is? And do you have any idea about MA?