Maternity advice - benefits?

Hiya,

As some of you may or may not be aware, I'm set to become a daddy in March 2014

My girlfriend is obviously going to be taking maternity leave from her job (NHS). Apart from the maternity pay and statutory maternity pay entitlements from her employer, are there any additional benefits that we may be entitled to? Would it be worth us making an appointment with our local benefits office to talk things through with them? Basically, we don't have the first idea what we're entitled to and what we're not entitled to and there seem to be so many conflicting stories and opinions that it's got our heads in a bit of a spin!

If it helps, we're both full time, our household income is less than £40K after tax and we're renting. I'd like to get a better understanding of what we may be able to claim to help us, so that we're well prepared (well, as prepared as you can be when you're expecting your first child at least!).

If there's anyone reading this who can offer some sensible advice (any benefits officers out there?!), then that would be great, thanks

Congratulations dude!

Regarding benefits, your Mrs will get child benefit (about £80 a month for first child IIRC) and you'll also be able to claim child tax credit (not sure what this one is worth as again it's paid to the wife).

You'll be given all the information you need in the form of a Bounty pack. This will be given to you on the maternity ward after your Mrs has given birth.

Good Luck.

Also interested in this as my first is arriving in December and I also have no idea what we should be getting. We make about 60k combined but she earns more then me and will only get stat mat when off work so we'll need all the help we can get!

Barneyballbags":lfpr38zg said:

our household income is less than £40K after tax and we're renting. I'd like to get a better understanding of what we may be able to claim to help us,

Click to expand...

Nowt other than child benefit.

gtRTSdh":35sfhoxr said:

Barneyballbags":35sfhoxr said:

our household income is less than £40K after tax and we're renting. I'd like to get a better understanding of what we may be able to claim to help us,

Click to expand...

Nowt other than child benefit.

Click to expand...

Sorry, congratulations. I have two girls, 51weeks and 5 weeks, we both work full time for significantly less than £40k/yr take home total.

You can start to accrue childcare vouchers as soon as your baby is born.

The child benefit covers milk & nappies. When / If she goes back to work then you can start looking into child tax benefits.

Second hand clothes, toys, baby furniture (not mattress) means we've hardly spent any money i.e. I picked up a £350 dropside cotbed for £50 virtually unmarked. Mothercare branded furniture is all crap and overpriced at the same time IMHO.

Ebay/Amazon are great for cheap mattresses & bed linen.

The NCT have spectacular sales of baby gear so worth looking up. Supermarkets are a lot cheaper than mothercare for baby clothes, but mothercare do have big discounts around the store on occasion.

Aldi & Sainsbury's nappies are fine to use, but to be honest pampers are better and you pay for it.

Oh, and watch put for the breastfeeding Nazi's .