Benefits - Please help – So Confused

kooger21

I have just been reading and i think you are right i don’t think her employer will offer any stat maternity pay however as she only works about 6 hours a week.

However i have been doing some research on the net and it does look like she may be eligible for the maternity allowance, can anyone confirm this?

Thanks

Kimitatsu

She will only be eligible for MA if she has worked and paid NI contributions for 26 out of the last 66 weeks. As has been pointed out because she has only worked 6 hours a week the likelihood is that she has not paid any NI contributions at all - if she has great!

Gemmzie

How old is she?

clairec79

You can get maternity leave from an NHS course (so she'd carry on getting any bursary) would she be able to stop around 29 weeks and then return to finish her last month or so of training afterwards but have the bursary while on maternity leave - it may be worth disucssing with the uni. Plus then she wouldn't have a large gap between qualifying and starting work

kooger21

No she wouldn’t be able to stop at 29 weeks and carry on getting her bursary L because her course ends on the 15th August and baby is due approx 1st Nov.

Her small part time job of 6 hours a week means (I think) she doesn’t pay any NI.

So it sounds like we are only going to get child benefit and some child tax credit, all because she lives with me and i earn 22k a year. Where as if she moved home then she would get all the benefits under the sun, well almost, does this sound right?

I just thought there would of been something we could claim, even it was for a month or two when her last bursary is paid to her on the 15th August?

Thanks

Becles

kooger21 wrote: »

So it sounds like we are only going to get child benefit and some child tax credit, all because she lives with me and i earn 22k a year. Where as if she moved home then she would get all the benefits under the sun, well almost, does this sound right?

Yes and no! If you split up and she moved home (I'm assuming to parents home), she would be entitled to Income Support and Child Tax Credit. However, she would legally have to inform the CSA that you are the father of the child, and CSA would deduct money from your salary to cover her benefit payments.

Aside from the money, it's far better for baby to be born into a couple where you are both there to look after him/her. Having a baby is hard work, and there's no break from it if you are on your own which is tiring.

You've got a good salary coming in to help provide for the baby. My husband is a postman on £18K a year and I do a few hours a week part time. We have three children and we manage. As has been suggested, look around the families and old style boards for tips on how to cut the cost of baby stuff as it's not as expensive as some people make out.

kooger21

Thanks for that reply, I guess im just a bit of a worrier, I have always been very good with money and we are both saving little bits here and there in a separate joint account so that we can go out and buy baby things nearer the time.

I have also just finishing paying my house off – so no mortgage which is good I suppose, considering the fact im only 30, and I have also managed to put £3,000 away in an Isa which I will use to give my partner £250 ish a month for 10-12 months before she goes job hunting (she doesn’t know about this money yet) This along with the weekly child benefit and CCT should give her about £420 a month – which is to be used for food, and baby bits and some for her. – I’m just hoping this will be enough.

This then still leaves my monthly income after tax and NI and pension at about £1350 a month - £350 of that should pay for the council tax and all the monthly bills which should in theory leave me about £1000 a month

I guess I really don’t know how much a baby costs, i’m sure things will work out – I always like re-assurance?

Thanks

Becles

You could have a whole brood of babies on that

First job is to get the Mothercare catalogue and bin it! You don't need half the stuff they say you need. You don't need "co-ordinated nappy stackers" and nappy disposal systems and such accessories. Think about the baby's basic needs - somewhere to sleep, feeding accessories if your OH isn't breastfeeding, somewhere to bath etc, and buy suitable solutions for yourselves.

As a rough idea, I buy Tesco nappies for my baby. They are about £3.80 a packet which last 5-6 days. Tesco value nappy sacks are around 70p for 300. Supermarkets always have one brand of wipes on BOGOF, so I buy whatever is on offer!

Baby formula is around £5-£7 a tub depending on which brand you choose. I would guess a tub lasts 5-7 days, but all mine were breastfed as newborns so I'm not sure.

Supermarkets sell cheap clothing. I've just bought Tesco vests at £2 for 3 and babygros at 3 for £4. Baby will be happiest staying in babygros until they start moving round the floor. My daughter is 9 months and I buy cheap jogging bottoms and tops for rolling round the house in and a couple of nice outfits for going out in.

My boys are school age and they wear cheap jogging bottoms and t-shirts most of the time too, with a couple of nice things for going out in. It's not worth spending a fortune when things are going to get dirty and torn through playing out.

I make most of my own baby food. I made pasta bolognaise for us last night and added a bit extra veg and a bit extra pasta. Probably cost pennies to do. However I've got enough left over to mush into 4 baby meals which saves around 60p per jar compared with buying ready made food. Buy a cheap stick blender and get pureeing!

I'm sure others will come up with more tips.

Stop worrying and look forward to sharing your life with the new person you made. In time you'll realise it's the best thing you've ever done

dmg24

mitchaa wrote: »

I dont see how you can claim JSA whilst on maternity leave as she will not be seeking work. What happens if she's offered a job placement, she'll obviously have to decline.Additional to that, because she was a student beforehand, then she wont have enough NI to qualify for contributions JSA.

No, the answer is no. She will not be entitled to JSA.

Reference surestart maternity grant, no she wont get that either.

Have a look here..

http://www.surestart.gov.uk/surestartservices/support/helpwithchildcarecosts/maternitygrant/

You have to be on higher rate CTC, you wont be because of your wage.

As she will get so little on the Maternity Grant, I would be inclined to appear to be seeking work (in the first few months you can be relatively selective as to what you apply for, so she could minimise her chances of finding work whilst still legally claiming). Therefore, had she paid sufficient NI contributions (which she won't have done, although many students would have) she would have been entitled to contributions based JSA.

You really do need to check your information mitchaa.

kooger21, going back to your concerns about your income, I am sure that you will be fine. Babies are not cheap, but you are clearly sensible with your money, and you are on a reasonable income. If you do need any help with your budgeting, have a look at the Debt Free Wanabee board, where they will help you work out a realistic budget, and also advise on anywhere that you may be able to cut your outgoings.

Good luck! x

mcintosh

hi my name is louise
hi i have been off work sience may last year had sick pay from work

now can not get anything try job seekers not enough mone:rolleyes:y or some thing am got a bad knee arthtrs what else can i claim got no money can not get income support because partner works over 25 hours help any one