Benefits.

[seejai]

Hey all

Hope you are well

We have a question about benefits and stuff, as this is our first baby we're a bit unsure what we're entitled to/what's the best setup..

- What is Emma entitled to off the government for maternity pay/leave as she has been told by work she isnt entitled to anything off them as she's not been there long enough.. I heard it was £500 a month for 18 weeks??

Thanks in advance

Chris

 

[Poxie_pixie]

If you go into the job centre or citizens advice burea they will be able to help you. I think you can just ring them actually. xXx

 

[Pudds86]

How long has she been at the company?

Have a look here...

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTa...ort/Expectingorbringingupchildren/DG_10018741

 

[Marianne]

This is my first baby too, I'm currently not working and not sure exactly what benefits i'm entitled too and when or wether they kick in automatically? Can anyone help?

 

[Poxie_pixie]

You claim job seekers up until 29 weeks then you go onto income support, sometimes you'll go onto income support early if they deem you unable to work. you'll get grants aswell. xXx

 

[Amanda W]

If your not working you should be entilted to a health grant that is £190 they say thats for mum to be but like me iam gonna use it for the baby also their is a martiny grant of £500 which is for the baby.

Iam not working so im gonna be expecting them both but you need to go to the job center and have a word with them i know you have to ring up and switch yourself to income support when you have 11 weeks before baby is due

 

[Emmamb]

If she has worked for 26 weeks in the 66 weeks upto her due date then she will b entitled to maternity allowance which will b 90% of her earnings or 124.88 (whichever is LESS) she can get that for 39 weeks.

If she is working but not entitled to mat allowance or mat pay then she will b able to claim ESA for approx 15 weeks,I'm not sure in the amounts for that tho xx

 

[sexyamy2005]

the grants stop from the 1st january i think, i kno the £190 does, but not sure about the surestart £500, i think its being phazed out in jan2011 tho,

but direct gov's website will tell you more, or jobcentre as others have said,

x

 

[lealea85]

This is my first baby too, I'm currently not working and not sure exactly what benefits i'm entitled too and when or wether they kick in automatically? Can anyone help?

I'm not working either. Get ur health in pregnancy grant form from ur MW that's £190 (this gets stopped 1st jan)
Also get ur maternity grant of £500 @ 29 weeks.
The latter is available if u have signed on or ur on income support.
If ur partner is at work u can apply for working tax credit too.

 

[lealea85]

And don't forget to apply for the milk n veg tokens ask ur midwife

 

[JJ Mum]

Once baby is here , everyone workers or non workers before due date, are entitle to claim child benifit too

 

[lealea85]

I thought they stopped CB

 

[Emmamb]

I thought they stopped CB

Only if ur income is over £44,000 I think.

The sure start grant (500) is only available for1st child after jan 2011 x

 

[soozy]

im sure they decided to freeze the amount of child benefit rather than stop it, meaning everyone gets the same amount. For my fist i get £20.33p a week so this will stay the same and for second baby it will be less than this but not been told what yet.
Yeah the £500 grant will only be paid to first time mums after january and the £190 is stopping altogether! Shocking if you ask me!

 

[Marianne]

I saw midwife on tuesday. She filled out the £190 form and the £500 form for me, as I'm not working and on income based employment and support allowance she said I should be entitled to both. I sent them away the same day.

What i'm wondering is, what happens now while i'm on income based employment and support allowance, do i need to apply for anything else for help with baby or does it all kick in automatically or do i wait untill baby is here before I can apply for anything else that i'm entitled to?

My partner is a student. Can anyone tell me what all I should apply for before baby is here and when baby is here as this is my first baby and I dont have a clue what to apply for ? thanks x

 

[soozy]

Im sure you need to wait til youve had baby and then contact child benefit, the job centre may do this for you and you also have to contact tax credits, you should be entitled to free milk tokens whilst your pregnant which is a £3.10 a week voucher to spend on milk, fruit or veg and once you've had the baby you let them know and the give you 2 of these vouchers a week to help buy formula with and also pay you your child tax credits which you should also be entitled to. they wont back date the milk tokens so if you are not already getting them, then phone them straight away to start recieving them, the tax credits number is 0845 300 3900 .

 

[Marianne]

i'm getting the milk tokens, just wasnt sure what else I should be doing lol