Mortgage free & able to live the dream!

TallGirl

That sounds sensible to make the most of your employers contributions I'm sure that is in the MSE guide too. As for the lump sums I think you can request them at a certain age and they are tax free but it obviously impact on your final annual payments. If you are over 55 you can get an appointment with Pensionwise from Citizens Advice they explain all of that but I suspect you are younger than that for now.  There is a persons boards on MSE it might be worth asking there.  

SWSEGirl

Well, I'm still battling my employers for some clarification on my pension deductions. It appears as though the deductions reflect my weekly rate, not monthly salary - so I'm now just waiting to hear back from them and hopefully confirm they will remedy the issue!
Another thing I have been thinking about this week is life insurance. We have insurance to cover the mortgage in the event of our deaths, but we definitely need something more - and I've been deliberating how much we need. 
I was thinking of my current expenses X 21 - to see my toddler ( and a future sibling) through childhood & university, if that's what they choose. I think this would cost in the region of £30 per month.
Neither my husband or I now have a death in service benefit - so I suddenly feel an urgency on this.
In some good news - my husband won just over £700 playing poker. Whilst this sounds terrifying - he has played for many years and the buy in is always modest - $10 or $20. Last night he came 9th of 20,000 players.

SWSEGirl

Quick update - I decided on a 21 year policy, to pay out £350,000 in the event either one of us dies, this will cost me approx £28 per month. That loosely reflects 21 years worth of one of our basic expenses. Since our mortgage would be paid off in the event of our death, this seems like a reasonable sum. We would also each be entitled to the others' pensions - so hopefully, if the worst happens, we would at least have financial security. 
My father died when I was 16 and I am pretty certain he didn't have life cover - I have never really considered the financial impact this had on my Mum. 
I think perhaps when we no longer have childcare costs we will consider adding critical illness insurance as well.
On a side note - I'm feeling pretty happy to have January done and dusted! 

SWSEGirl

Our application for DLA for our toddler was turned down today. It’s not great news obviously - but I have mixed (irrational!) feelings. On the one hand, the specialists we have seen have all said we should apply & that we would be entitled, but on the other hand I think perhaps my son’s condition is not as serious as previously thought, if the DWP have turned us down. It’s a silly way to feel really.
My Mum is still very unwell in hospital, she told me she would rather be dead today, which was hard to hear.
I won’t lie, life is a struggle at the moment. The only element of my life where I feel I have any control is my finances.

bubblycrazy

Things sound tough, I hope circumstances improve soon. Sending you a virtual hug x 

SWSEGirl

Thanks bubblycrazy, very much. Virtual hugs are really appreciated at the moment. 

Cornish_mum

Hi, I just caught up on your news, so sorry you are having such a tough time. Sending you virtual flowers and hugs. Our eldest has DCD, which wasn’t picked up until he was in year 1. I understand the mixed feelings about your DLA assessment I felt the same when DS didn’t get an EHCP. Take care CM

IndiJonesi

@SWSEGirl I understand how you feel about your Mum's feelings at the moment.  It's heartbreaking when they declare things like that.  
Did someone mention in a previous post about an appeal with the DWP?   

SWSEGirl

Thank you @Cornish_Mum and @IndiJonesi - this forum is such a lovely, supportive place to be and has become so much more than money management for me. We will lodge an appeal with the DWP - I have an appointment next week with my son's support worker, so I am going to ask her advice then. We are fortunate that our finances allow us to access speech therapy - and the associated costs of supporting his additional needs, but I feel so sorry for people who can't afford the additional help. The NHS waiting list in my area is currently 42 weeks, it's horrible.
In other news - my salary finally hit my account today, I have paid the childcare bill and worked out my additional outgoings this month - and I think I can put £1300 towards the mortgage. On that basis I've asked my husband to bump it up to £2000 from our joint savings - so hopefully I'll make that payment today.
I've been feeling a bit low on and off and my usual default is to buy myself something - there are a few lovely clothes I am hankering after - but putting the mortgage money aside first means that I don't really have the spare funds, which is a good thing really. I want to try and maximise lockdown to my advantage and save as much as possible, so February is going to be a frugal month for me.

Bargainhunter30

My mum used to work in court where the appeals happened and she said it was heartbreaking. A lot of the decisions are based on what you write down, so you need to include everything on the forms apparently and maybe see if you can get advice online from people who have been successful in their claims. She was at clerk level, but even the judges offered helpful hints for appeals when things were clearly unjust. I find it shocking when all you see in the press and on TV are people claiming for things they shouldn't have. Good luck with the appeal.