Advice Please £16000 Debt 8 Months Pregnant

immoral_angeluk

-MRS_T- wrote: »

Can anyone tell me

Working Family Tax Credits
Family Allowance
Child Benefit

Are these all different things or are child benefit and working family tax credits the same thing?

Hi Mrs T... sorry I didn't see this thread earlier but it's been a manic day! :rotfl:
I was in a similar boat to you this time last year (my youngest was born 29th Jan) so I know how you're feeling... having a baby is an uncertain time as it is without the hassle of debt and financial stress. The main thing to do is be organised. the baby obviously comes first BUT get the finances sorted before the baby comes so that you have to do the minimum amount of stressful things after the baby is born. 38 weeks... wow you must be getting really excited

Right... benefits
Once the baby is born the first thing to do is register the birth and once you have the birth certificate, apply for child benefit. This will be £72.40 every 4 weeks and isn't based on your income so you will DEFINATELY get this so apply asap once the baby is born.

Once you have applied for child benefit take a note of your reference number and then apply for child tax credit. This is income based and you may be entitled to working tax credit as well. For an idea how much you'll get put your details into www.entitledto.co.uk with the babys birthdate as yesterday or something and it will give you an estimate. entitledto is usually fairly accurate so will help you with your budgeting.

Once you have recieved your award for child tax credit apply for the surestart maternity grant. If you are recieving above the bog standard family rate of tax credits then you will be eligable for a one off £500 grant towards the cost of baby things and this can be applied for up to 3 months after the baby is born but DON'T FORGET. You can actually apply before you get your tax credits award but you just put on the form that you've applied and then update the details when you get them but the important thing is to put your claim in. You can get the forms from the jobcentre.

As for the cost of baby things, we used tesco value nappies and wipes.... they're just as good as the more expensive brands BUT are half the price. If you still need any baby things check out www.freecycle.org

If you've got any more questions please feel free to ask.:) I'm in a kind of been there done that situation but the best advice I can give you is enjoy your new baby, and get your child benefit, tax credit and surestart claims in ASAP as this will really help your finances. Things may be tight now but things will look better once you know where you're at with your benefits.

Good luck.. and make sure you let us know when the baby arrives

-MRS_T-

Thanks Barnaby Bear

I am really enjoying reading immoral angeluk diary of events if you like, I even contacted her and she has gave me some great advice

-MRS_T-

Thanks painted lady

I have joined all the baby clubs, advantage cards ie boots nectar etc, ive always been quite good at these things coupons etc (well obviously not that good eh or I wudnt be in this much debt)
Thanks for the tip on washable nappies, I will bear that in mind after the first few months like you say, I can only give it a try if it saves money. I am going to breastfeed as well that will save money on milk. Well ill try anyhow.

I think you may be right about not being accepted by tesco. Was just talking to my husband when he got home from work there I hit him with the tears again as ive just sat all day doing basically nothing but stare at a peice of paper and this pc screen trying to sort things in my head.
Poor hubby hes just came home from a 12hr shift and he is back up at 4am to do another double shift tmrw til 10pm. He is working hard trying to keep us a float.

I hope your finger gets better. Howd you manage that then

-MRS_T-

Go on ebay and browse the completed listings for wedding dresses. This will give you an idea of how much you'll get for it. Also i would log onto some of the wedding website as they have forums on them where you can sell on there. I am familiar with ebay as I do love it, I have done this already although my wedding dress cost £3000 and I really dont think I will get anywhere near that for it. (mum and dad paid for it and pretty much most of the wedding) I really wouldnt want to sell it for any less than 1/2 that. I know you may think that sounds like a ridiculous amount of money for a wedding dress when i am this situation, but my parents dont know that i have this debt.
I had my DS2 on 8th Feb last year and would have to say that Tesco own nappies are as good as huggies and pampers. Boots own wipe are always on BOGOF and are the best own brand i have used - i only use them now. I have a policy now that I only buy boots brand make as 1 its much cheaper and 2 you collect there points where i can get rewards and usually they give you double points on there own brand, so its defo a saving compared to the brand makes.
In your SOA you said you spend £150 on petrol. Can you not get a bus from Kirkie into town? Once your there you can get anywhere. This is an awful lot to be spending especially when you have a small one coming. Im afraid not we both work at the airport and its shift work so there are no buses at these times of day and night, so i feel that is an essential.

I see you called Kirkintilloch Kirkie, I take it you are familiar with the area then??

-MRS_T-

Hi Immoral Angel

Thanks for replying to me. Its nice to know there are others out there in similiar circumstances or have been there and know how you feel, sometimes you think your alone.

I think Im fairly organised, my bags all packed and ready to go, so heres hoping the littlin will pop ooot early lol

The info you have just gave me on the benefit situation is perfect and exactly what I was looking forits pretty much a styep by step guide which is what i needed, im gonna print that off.

Im gonna give that entitled to thing another shot, I tried it the other night but i didnt think it was right and i keep getting confused because i go onto maternity pay and im not sure how much wages i am going to get or if i should be putting in what i earned b4 maternity and if i should put in overtime etc or whatever was on our last p60, you get what i mean.

As for the sure start maternity grant i looked at that and i certainly am not elegible to apply at the moment as i looked through the critera and we are not any any of the benefits listed but like you say ill have to wait and see bout the tax credit thing then i might be able to apply so that ones been written in the diary as that would be a godsend to get that.

I am just feeling like everything is in limbo just now as I am finding it really difficult to work finances out when I havent really got a clue of how much my income is gonna be til the baby is born and i have all these forms filled out.

Off to entitledto.com to see how i go, ill let you know.

thanks again

painted_lady

MRS_T for the record, tin of corned beef - I am vegetarian!!!! Cut to muscle apparantly.
I bought tommee tippee cotton bottom nappies on ebay, £20 for 6 covers and 12 nappies in each size ( well, size 2 and 3, newborn only in size 1 for a few weeks, not worth it IMHO). LO is on biggest size now and was in 2nd size for a few month too, well worth it but I couldnt be arsed with washing them all before he was sleeping through!!!!