Hi, can any one tell me if you are on Tax Credits do you qualify for Maternity Grant?  My daughter has just been refused this and thought as she was on working tax credit due to a low income she would have qualified for this.  She is gutted, was planning to use the money to buy cot, and everything she will need for the coming baby, luckily for her I am buying her pram.  I cant really afford to help her buy more "big items" as I am also buying a pram for my granddaughter, who is also due a baby.

Sorry I cant answer your question but I am curious as to why people have babies if they cant afford them?  I know everyone probably struggles because babies are expensive but to not be able to afford the bare necessities such as a cot, why not wait until you have saved up and can provide everything a baby requires

Many of the 'large items' can be obtained cheaply or for free from small ads or friends. Our son was the fourth baby to use his cot and pram (we bought new matresses but that was as far as it went) and they've both been passed on to other families since. Still going strong after 25 years!

Financial circumstances can change between conception and birth, Clairey.

I would have been too old to have children if I had waited until I could afford them, only now the mortgage is almost paid off and the children are slowly leaving home can we afford to have them!   We struggled and lived in a one bedroom rented flat when I was pregnant with my first son, I will never forget we had 4 of everything (all secondhand) including knives and forks and I can remember inviting mum and dad over and was going to surprise them with dinner and guess what? they brought a friend so hubby pretended he'd eaten at work as too embarrassed to say we didn't have enough plates/knives and forks to go around!  There is a lot of good quality second hand furniture / baby equipment around so just keep your eyes out locally.  It can be done we had 4 and managed, I worked, he worked we then got a council house and when we had 3 children under 5 we managed to get a mortgage, moved twice since and we are where we are today, financially ok and could now afford to have a baby!  mmmm NO!  Doggy time now!

For your information Claire, my daughter was in a long term relationship, she is no teenager, she will be 35 (first baby) and works as a chef, when "partner" found out she was pregnant  he was all over the "moon, promising her the earth !!!! and has now scarpered, :rolleyes: Apart from my youngest granddaughter 8wks, and grandson 18 months,  who still uses pram cot, etc.the next "baby" in the family is now 11 yrs of age, so we do not have things like cots, prams etc to pass on now.    I will do my best to help her as will her other sister, but I am a pensioner and my income is limited and my oldest daughter, is going to be a granny as my granddaughter (20) is pregnant as well.

Chefs do not have a big wage.

Thank you :)

I just get so frustrated, its seems if you have a child everything gets given to you, but if you are like me struggling with a mortgage and having to work 3 jobs just to keep my house you get no help and even if I went bankrupt and lost the lot I bet I still wouldnt get a council house or any help :rolleyes:

Each set of circumstances is different, I hope everything works out for your daughter - sorry to presume the worst, but you only have to walk round my town of a lunchtime and see all the young mothers gathering in town with their pushchairs and cigarettes hanging out of their mouths to know why I presumed the worst !

Marguerite had said that her daughter was getting working tax credits. You can't get those if you work less than 30 hours a week, so her daughter's unlikely to have the time to hang around town at lunchtimes ...

Sure Start Maternity Grants

>Legislation 2: From April 2006 to April 2007 this means a Child Tax Credit rate of £548 a year or more, or £1,096 a year or more if you have a baby under one year old.

Thanks MM for the link. I will pass this on to my daughter.

Car Boot sales are a brilliant place to find baby and children items, often new when Grandparents have bought things not to Mother's liking and they've not been used at all!

I would never waste money on new things for babies who often grow out of them before having their use.

Maybe contraception would be a cheaper option rather than expecting the rest of us to pay for children? *Ducks with tin hat on!*

contraception is free from the Family Planning Clinic ;)

Less of the "snidey" remarks please Claire. 

that was in response to Val - actually

My daughter has worked full time and went to college since she left school at 16, so I think she has paid enough in income tax, insurance etc to qualify for maternity grant, and will be working until end of February, baby is due in March !!!!!

Yes, I agree :)

Why doesn't she let baby sleep with her the first couple of months (I do with mine :D ) and get a sling like this one: www.baba-sling.co.uk for going out and about - then she can get a cot and pushchair from freecycle (I have a spare cot - excellent condition, no mattress, if she wants it. I bought a new one cos I forgot I had one :rolleyes: )

Ah but then who would pay the taxes to keep us all in our old age?  As I understand it the birth rate is falling?  People that choose to have children have to sacrifice an awful lot and the sots are phenomenal, yet those who choose not to have them get to keep most of their income after taxes.  With this yes hey can provide  better pension, but the children of the poor schmucks will more than likely have to pay for other things they will need in old age such has health care etc.

My neighbours contraception method failed after over 20 years, and they chose to have the baby in their late thirties, even though they had planned to be childless.

She cannot get over how tight things are financially.  She was used to having two good incomes and not worrying about what she spent her money on.  Now with a toddler and only partners wage as a self employed person things are a lot more worrying.

well they have £600 of my money each month so that will go towards keeping someone in their old age - AND I pay to my own pension AND I have private healthcare.  I take nothing from the state and give too much in my opinion, beacuse you can guarantee when its my turn to retire the state pension wont be worth a thing.

ClaireyS

I really want to write a caustic reply to your posts - but I shan't because I don't know all of your circumstances.   Neither do you know the circumstances of poster on here, who come on, asking for advice/information - because this is an informtion exchange.

If you wish to make comments, rather than give advice (which is what I am doing with you) - may I suggest you try another forum?

Margot

I didnt make comments, I asked a question because I generally cant understand some people.  My question has been answered now and I do feel for the women who in this case is in this position through no fault of her own. 

To be fair I dont usually comment I just sit and wonder, but im in a poition of possibly having to give up my home, the one I have worked hard for, because I cant afford the mortgage, what help do I get ?? none because I dont have kids !!!

Sorry, I will go somewhere else to vent my frustrations and leave everyone here to give nicey nicey advice.

So are you saying that on every thread if you cant give "advice" then you shouldnt "comment" at all ? therefore we should remove about 70% of the posts on here :rolleyes:

Um, why shouldnt people who have children get financial help if they get into difficulties? A single woman could just move into a bedsit or rent a smaller place, or move in with family. If I lost my job (with 4 children) and my husband cleared off I'd need financial assistance (if I wasn't insured up to the eyeballs etc) - would you really begrudge me that?

Im not saying that women with children shouldnt get help, of course they should if they find themselves in that position, what I am saying is that it should be fair to all.  I cant move back in with family and the rent round here is as expensive as a mortgage -  I could however afford a small council place at £50 a week but I dont qualify because I dont have kids :rolleyes:

>My question has been answered now

What a pity that the OP has felt it necessary to give away so many personal details just to satisfy your curiosity.  Who are you to be so judgmental?

>what help do I get ?? none because I dont have kids !

I do understand this point of view because the system does make it far too easy for far too many to obtain benefits just because they have children and no means of caring for them.  However, your opinion came over more as an attack on the OP which was inappropriate

To the OP

When I was expecting my first the ante natal classes talked about baby equipment.  Babies are simple creatures and don't really need that much, just warmth, safety and lots of love.  My personal opinion is that babies shouldn't sleep in adults beds, however, they don't need top of the range cots either.  The cot I had was passed down from the in-laws and had already been used for OH, his 5 bros and sisters and 2 nieces.  OH stripped off the paint just in case and we bought a new mattress.  When 2nd baby arrived the cot was still being used by 1st baby so I bought a second hand one.  When 3rd baby came along he had a choice of cots :D but I bought a super big pram second hand.  Second hand baby equipment can be bought for a song and the 2nd cot and the pram were in immaculate condition.  I sold many of my babies' clothes at a boot sale and TBH it broke my heart that such lovely baby things went for pennies.

Who is to say you will remain in this fortunate position.

I did not expect to go from being married with a house/mortgage, child and husband with both of us working to being a single parent expecting my second child and having to give up work in order to keep the roof over our heads.

im not in a fortunate position and I dont begrudge anyone anything if they find themselves in that cicumstance what I am saying is that why should it be one rule for one and one for another, I have chosen not to have children because I havent found myself in the right position to do so and because of this I miss out on a hell of a lot of benefits.

Not having a go at anyone here but I wonder what will  happen if one day we don't have a welfare state any more, it could happen.  So many people seem to rely on additional financial support these days and indeed some people have a considerably larger income on benefits than they could ever get working.

the benefits given when we have children are towards the childrens upkeep ( and it is only a small anount of help) not for us parents we are no better off than if we where childless so how you can feel you miss out is beyond me

I have children but I don't get any benefits!

do you not get family allowance - or whatever it is called these days (im not that old honest !)

No, the kids get that - its spent on essentials like school uniforms, shoes at £30 a pair, school lunches/sandwiches (£1.65 a day), various school trips (£250 for a french trip) - so no, *I* don't get any benefits :)

Ahh, I get your jist ;)

But it is still provided as part of your family's income and means you don't have to pay for these essentials out of your own income - definitely a benefit. :)

No, if there weren't so many essentials to be purchased, as dictated by the schools and govt, then yes, I'd agree with you. But there are...

But not all things requested by schools are essentials - my children were not able to go on all school trips due to our financial circumstances but both gained 5 A levels of good grades and then on to university. The trips that were essential - geography A level field trip where associated work amounted to a third of the final grade - we paid for by instalments and didn't actually finish the last payment until 3 months after my daughter had left school and gone on to university.

It all depends on one's view of what is essential - and what is considered essential is usually determined by the life style one is able to live. :)

You are getting off light there Carla, daughter has a french trip this whitsun £400! (Year 6).
Karen

Our eldest had a trip to New York the week before Christmas and that cost us £700 plus spending money......don't think the £15 a week family allowance helped much in that situation.

Child Benefit replaced the tax allowances for children, and everyone gets it rich or poor.

ClaireyS, I assume that your private pension is like most others, and is invested in stocks are shares. If the company's it's invested in go bust, or there's a general stockmarket crash, your private pension will vanish along with all the others. The economy relies upon a birthrate large enough to support a rising population of pensioners. It'll be Marguerite's grandchildren (and others', of course - it'd be a bit harsh putting all the onus onto a single family! :D) who provide your pension income!

I know, I worked in pensions for 6 years ;) which is also why I wont be relying on my state pension or my private pension for a decent income when I retire, im trying to make other provisions too.  It is swings and roundabouts though if we pay out loads of benefits now for people to have chlidren that removes money from the pot for when we reach old age but then if people dont have children there wont be anyone to pay into the pot later on in life :rolleyes:

That was not aimed at anyone by the way - just a sweeping statement.

And of course we are also making the assumption that these children will eventually be employed (or self employed) and pay tax/national insurance in this country.

Why wouldn't they be? :)

Any number of reasons Carla - for example, emigration or working long term abroad, ill health, or simply following in the footsteps of role models who have managed nicely without working! :)

Edited to add:  Or simply be unable to find work.

As well as friends, small ads and car boot sales, has she joined any Freecycle groups which might have just what she's after?

My best friend has just had someone pick up her pushchair after advertising it on freecycle.  She'd only used it three times!  Apparently the father to be was over the moon :d  So yeah, try freecycle or car boots or second hand shops.

Debs

(Who also agrees with the contraception/financial comments!!)

Sometimes in life the unexpected can happen however careful the planning. If we could all map out our lives and have it all work out as planned we would live in a perfect world but, the world is not perfect and I don't believe there is a person anywhere who has not had their plans go astray.  If there is then they are very lucky indeed. Without knowing everything about all situations it is very easy to assume something when in fact the reality can be very different.

We have raised our children, worked hard and paid our way all our lives but instead of looking forward to a more secure future and less financial burdens my OH has been diagnosed with a terminal illness that means he has had to give up work, I have had to cut my hours and work part time and instead of our mortgage diminishing it is increasing again as we can not meet the full amount every month. I could sit and think about all those people who are so much better off than we are but then I am also aware that there are also so may people who are worse off than we are so we tend to count our blessings and have empathy with people who's lives have not turned out as planned.

However carefully you plan there are no guarantees that life will turn out as you hope - it is easy to condemn people but also very easy to end up in a position you would rather not be in. There but for the grace of God go I.

Unfortunately I was one of those that had to bring my daughter up alone in the early days. I found myself at 20 pregnant with a boyfriend who went from being over the moon to not coming home at night and who actually ended up running off with my babysitter when DD was a baby. He gave me no financial help whatsoever when I was with him and anything that she had was bought by me. And yes I did use contraception. I was on the pill but as I had been sick that week I also went and got the morning after pill to be 'safe'. Unfortunately accidents do happen at times but there is no way on earth that I would ever be without her now.

I worked right up until the morning that I had her at a riding school, I was lucky that I was self employed so I could do that. Yes when he left I confess I did have to go on Income Support for a while. I'm afraid it's fairly impossible to work with a small baby attached and nurserys don't tend to take babies under 6 months old. But as soon as she was old enough I was back to work, and managed to get a job in a bar working nights when she was in bed asleep so that I was not being paid by other peoples taxes. Please be certain that if there was any way on earth I could have avoided being in the position of having to claim I would have done but at the end of the day that is what they are there for to help peole in need. And while in an ideal world everybody would have their perfect lives where they worked, saved up until they could afford children and then had 2point4 children we do not live in an ideal world do we?? Everything that I have now I have bought myself and while I now have a new partner who I have been with a few years I still work part time and everything I have now I had when I was single.

Claireys....if you are struggling that much working tax credits aren't just for people who have children. It might be worth giving them a ring to see if you are entitled to them?  They are for anybody who is on a low income.

If I still had all my cot and pram etc marguerite I would give it to your DD in a shot. I am sorry I have given it all to friends who were starting out. Has your DD tried ebay? I got my pram from a market, brand new still in packaging and it was well known make but it was a slight second, apparently the colours weren't quite right(I never noticed!!) so it may be worth giving that a shot as well. The stall I bought my pram off sold car seats and travel cots, slings etc at a fraction of the cost you would pay in the shops. I have to confess though I used my sling more than I did my pram as she actually slept in that rather than screaming in the pram!!!! I have always understood that if you got working tax credit you were entitled to the grant but then again I have never really understood tax credits so not the best person to advise on that!! Good luck to her though, I really feel for her at this time.

Paula.

If ClaireyS is working 3 jobs she probably has an income that exceeds the max £10500 pa income you have to qualify for Working Tax credits.

In some respects I can agree with her, every year the Budget comes around and old Gordon hands out even more money to people with children whereas the single working (low income as in my case!) person gets Sweet Fanny Adams besides a hike in their car tax and fuel costs!  And before anyone says well take the bus, I start work at 6 or maybe 7 in the morning, 15 miles from here, no buses at that time or a direct bus link anyway and no way am I attempting a cycle over the hills to get there!  ;)  :D

Like I said....I am totally useless when it comes to tax credits...don't know the limits!!!:-)

I agree but I think it is hard for anyone nowadays. I know that we struggle and have made a decision not to have more children because we feel that in the position we are in we are happy.

BUT not all single mothers are spongers and my main point was that it is often not the mothers fault that they are in the position they are in. I think the problem is like in most things there are people who exploit it. There is one person I know who keeps having children to get more child benefit. In my eyes that is totally disgusting and I do NOT agree with people like that. But until you know the circumstances I don't think that you can make comments like a couple that have been made on this thread.

By the way.....getting the bus at that time in the morning might prove impossible!!;-)  and last time I caught a bus those prices were REALLY high too!!!!:-D

Paula

so true Christine.  Single professionals are always punished in the budget which I feel is really unfair.  It used to really annoy me when I was unemployed for a period of time.  This was just when the minimum wage came in and the average wage was approx £3.50 per hour and there was a slip under the ads that said if you are a parent this will be made up to £5.50ph.  I felt this was so unfair as someone who left school and had never worked but chosen to have children instead would get paid well over a third more than me who had a good few years experience.

Married professionals with children on a half decent wage get hammered as well you know... our mortgages, utility bills, cost of living goes up just the same, but if you're over the threshold as a "middle earner" you get it in the neck too! Salaries don't go up in line with all the govt increases and we have childcare to pay for aswell!