Discovery Home & Health

Hi - Just after some advice on benefits.

I know when my baby comes i will get the child benefit which i think is around £18 per week, plus a little working family tax (if we qualify), but have just heard that my friend who is having a baby got a maternity grant at around 28/30weeks pregnant of £500. Is this correct? is everyone eligible for this or just certain people? or is it because of ages (im 20 and shes only 19) id never heard of it!

thanks
kirsten xxx

I'm not 100% sure but i think the grant for £500 is called a sure start maternity grant, i know if you are a single parent or on income suport you deffo get it, i got it when i had my DD whois now 8 and back then i think it was £250 then 4years later i was pregnant with ds i couldn't get it has both me and dh where working. your better to just ring your local social security office and asked because i know from my friend who's hsband left her last year that if you don't ask you don't get lol

Hi Kirsten,

I have heard of Mum's to be getting a £500 grant due either being single, no job or having very little money. I would ring HR revenue to see if you qualify or contact your local job centre.

Working tax credit: - If your joint income is over £19,000 then I don't think you get anything.

BUT

Family tax credit: - Even if your joint income is over £40,000 you are still entitled to receive £10 a week.

Here is a link to calculate what you will get http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/tools/taxcredits_qualify/question01.htm.

I hope that this helps.

Love Jen x

Me - 24
DH2B - 29
DD - 23 months
Expecting second baby in 3 weeks and 2 days.

Thanks for replies - we dont qualify for anything, ive just found out! oh well, was worth a try! xxx

All you need to do is get a certificate off your midwife and send in the forms and it's a matter of them adding up all the different things.

We were told we probably wouldn't get it and then was very happy to get a letter saying we had qualifyed, so it's well worth doing anyway i would say!

Let us know how you get on if you try for it.

Kirsten..
It is the sure start maternity grant for if you are on low income(as in my families case) or if you are on income support,
BUT.. you need to be recieving the benefit ie, child tax BEFORE you apply for the grant.
I never got it with my 1st child as we couldn't claim until she was born, i know it says you have upto 3 months after baby is born to claim but back then it took months for them to assess all your info, they are a lot quicker now tho, so if you were to get your child benefit sorted quick, (as you need that to prove you have a child lol!) then get your application for tax credits sent off quick then you may just get it, I'm not sure but you may even be able to put the form for the grant in while you are waiting for a decision on tax credits...
well worth a try though for 500 quid eh?

Emma. x

Kirsten - Are you sure as my Partner and I earn £40k between us and still receive £41 a month of family tax credit. Give them a call and they will be able to tell you, sometimes the calculators are not very accurate hun and it is better to talk to an actual person.

I hope that you get something.

Love Jen x

3 weeks and 1 day until EDD eeeek!