Other Help for Pregnant Mums and Parents

There is other help available to pregnant mums and parents with young children that you may not have heard about.  Have a look through and see if you qualify for a few more pennies or help with everyday necessities.  (I've shortened some of the links.)

Free prescriptions and dental care

All mums-to-be qualify for a prescription exemption certificate once their pregnancy has been certified by a doctor or midwife.  You need to complete form FW8 and they will need to sign it.  You’ll be sent a handy little credit card type certificate that you can keep in your wallet. 

Just remember to mention it at the chemist or dentist when you visit!

It entitles you to free prescritions and dental care so get one as soon as possible.  They last until a year after the day your baby is expected.

For more info visit:

http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1644.aspx

Sure Start Maternity Grant

A grant of £500 is available to parents-to-be on low incomes to help with preparing all those baby essentials.

To see if you qualify for the grant, please visit:   http://bit.ly/8nHu7E
From there you can also download an application form or you can contact your local job centre.

Healthy Start Scheme

Healthy Start is a government scheme that provides vouchers for free milk, fresh fruit and vegetables, infant formula and vitamins to certain pregnant women and children in families on low incomes.

Visit: http://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/ to find out if you are eligible.

You can get an application form from your midwife or health visitor or complete it online.

Lots of shops except the vouchers – look out for the Healthy Start sticker in shop windows or ask in store.

Free School Meals, Milk and More

When you little one starts school they could be entitled to free school meals if you are on a low income.

Visit: http://bit.ly/doxrPK to find out more.

Children who are entitled to free school meals also qualify for free school milk, although all children at school under 5 are eligible for this anyway. 
Visit the coolmilk website for more info:

https://www.coolmilk.com/cms/index.php?q=parents

Lots of schools take part in the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme. 
Children aged 4-6 qualify for a free piece of fruit or vegetable each school day. 
See this leaflet for more information: http://bit.ly/naq4wZ

For families on benefits, help with the cost of school uniform may also be available.
More on this can be found on the DirectGov website:  http://bit.ly/og0GWl

I hope I've just about covered everything, but if there is something you know about that I've missed, please leave a comment - I'd love to cover it!

Keeping up entitlement to your State Pension - National Insurance Credits for Parents

As a new mum, the last thing you are probably thinking about is your State Pension – that time seems such a very long way off!   But here’s something you probably weren’t aware of that may just be of interest.

The National Insurance (NI) you pay via your employer or as self employed, (among many other things) contributes to your entitlement to a State Pension when you retire. 

During your maternity leave, if you decide to stay at home and not go back to work, or if you earn below the threshold for paying NI when you go back to work, you will not be making any NI contributions.  Potentially you could have years of no contributions which would have a negative effect on the money you would be entitled to in your old age. 

Fear not!  There is a little known system in place to fill in the gaps where you may not be paying National Insurance. 

Known as “Credits for Parents” (formally “Home Responsibilities Protection”), the government ensures that NI contributions are credited to you account so that you hold your entitlement to a State Pension.

Better still, you don’t have to do a thing!  You are automatically enrolled onto the system when you start receiving Child Benefit.

For more information visit:

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/StatePension/DG_183802

Or phone:

Pension Service Helpline on 0845 606 0265

This week’s post was suggested by Emma Rosser AKA

www.facebook.com/home.php#!/DottyMayscrafts

Thank you, Emma!

        

If you have a money related subect you'd like me to cover, please leave a comment.