twenty seven
Wowzers, I've been really bad with posting, I do apologise. Not much has been happening you see.
Tonight I'm going to tackle filling it my maternity pay forms. This does not look remotely easy or fun. I don't understand why they have to make it so complicated. The wording is so confusing, and I have to work out all my earning for over the past year, I don't know whether me being a student changes anything either. I wish there was someone who could sit down with you, or work it all out for you and just tell you what to write. Or if I'd been at my job long enough I could have got pay from them, which would have been a lot simpler.
...
Anyway in other news, something I always go on about, but after having a few conversations with my mum about the living situation here, something which after visiting us she is not entirely happy about, we may be considering looking for a flat to move into before the baby is born. The reason being is that we are not really saving much money being here in the first place, because we are paying them rent for one small room, plus buying all our food on top of that. We have also had to buy and will have to buy paint for decorating the rooms, plus spending all of our days off decorating, or trying to sort it all out. So we are just having a look to see what is available, because both Rob and myself don't feel particularly happy or settled here, and I think that is one of the most important things. But we shall see. I'm trying to see what extra money I might be able to get to be able to afford it. But it would be possible to afford it, it would just mean that we would have very little money left over, but surely most people are in that position anyway.
But I will keep you posted on what we decide.
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Last night I babysat for the neighbours. It was great, I got paid £8 to drink hot chocolate and watch ugly Betty for 1 and a half hours. All the children were asleep in bed, and I didn't have to do anything. The lady is really nice, and has already started making us a baby box of things to give us like toys and clothes. She also offered us her cot-bed, which we would need a new mattress for, but that would save us money! Also we may be able to have a pram. We had a little chat about us potentially moving, and she said that it's important that we feel settled in a place, also that we have the space to learn how to bring up the baby, and make mistakes, without someone else telling you how to do things.
...
So that is all to report really. Tomorrow we go to our first antenatal appointment, which I'm not sure whether it is quite early to be having them, but should be interesting. Rob is coming with me, which will be nice to do something together again about the baby, because it's been a while!
Sorry I will try to be better at updating!
p.s I'm 27 weeks today, only 13 weeks to go. That is scary. It also means I'm in my 3rd trimester. The last one. This is very scary.
Tonight I'm going to tackle filling it my maternity pay forms. This does not look remotely easy or fun. I don't understand why they have to make it so complicated. The wording is so confusing, and I have to work out all my earning for over the past year, I don't know whether me being a student changes anything either. I wish there was someone who could sit down with you, or work it all out for you and just tell you what to write. Or if I'd been at my job long enough I could have got pay from them, which would have been a lot simpler.
...
Anyway in other news, something I always go on about, but after having a few conversations with my mum about the living situation here, something which after visiting us she is not entirely happy about, we may be considering looking for a flat to move into before the baby is born. The reason being is that we are not really saving much money being here in the first place, because we are paying them rent for one small room, plus buying all our food on top of that. We have also had to buy and will have to buy paint for decorating the rooms, plus spending all of our days off decorating, or trying to sort it all out. So we are just having a look to see what is available, because both Rob and myself don't feel particularly happy or settled here, and I think that is one of the most important things. But we shall see. I'm trying to see what extra money I might be able to get to be able to afford it. But it would be possible to afford it, it would just mean that we would have very little money left over, but surely most people are in that position anyway.
But I will keep you posted on what we decide.
...
Last night I babysat for the neighbours. It was great, I got paid £8 to drink hot chocolate and watch ugly Betty for 1 and a half hours. All the children were asleep in bed, and I didn't have to do anything. The lady is really nice, and has already started making us a baby box of things to give us like toys and clothes. She also offered us her cot-bed, which we would need a new mattress for, but that would save us money! Also we may be able to have a pram. We had a little chat about us potentially moving, and she said that it's important that we feel settled in a place, also that we have the space to learn how to bring up the baby, and make mistakes, without someone else telling you how to do things.
...
So that is all to report really. Tomorrow we go to our first antenatal appointment, which I'm not sure whether it is quite early to be having them, but should be interesting. Rob is coming with me, which will be nice to do something together again about the baby, because it's been a while!
Sorry I will try to be better at updating!
p.s I'm 27 weeks today, only 13 weeks to go. That is scary. It also means I'm in my 3rd trimester. The last one. This is very scary.
Are you applying for Maternity Allowance? That's what I've applied for, and it was really quite easy! If you need any help then feel free to email me.
ReplyDeletehii, yeh i am, i printed out the forms and had a good read, and actually it was a lot easier than i thought it would be, apart from the fact that my employment has been patchy because of being a student, so not sure how much money i will end up getting. tricky stuff!
ReplyDeleteThe CAB might be able to help with the forms, or the JobCentre, whichever is nearer to you.
ReplyDeleteMaternity Allowance really isn't my specialism, but as far as I understand it, it's pretty similar to SMP, but you can choose which weeks your pay is calculated over, so pick the weeks you've earned the most. Any student grants, loans, bursaries don't count as earnings, so only your actual wages.
You should get £124.88 a week, or 90% of your average earnings, which is why you need to pick the best 13 weeks. If your average is only £100, you'll get £90 a week.
I'm a former benefits assessor & trainer (and just over the bridge in South Wales), so if you want any more advice, feel free to get in touch.
As long as you've done enough weeks altogether, and 1 day in a week counts as a week, then you will get some. You just need to pick the highest paid weeks to send them.
ReplyDelete