The idea of giving a free ‘baby bundle’ to every new mother is a brilliant one.
I wish I had many years ago when the only things you were guaranteed after you gave birth were 12 weeks off from work and resentment from your boss.
The Baby Box, announced this week by the government, is a pilot arrangement for 500 lucky moms at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin and University Hospital in Waterford, who will effectively receive a mattress in a sturdy box that doubles as a cot, There will be a host as well. Other urgently needed items to get them on the path to parenthood.
It’s the latest in a growing array of state benefits available to new parents, which I believe have improved significantly in recent years.
Having a child is very expensive so anything that eases the financial burden is welcome.
I’m taking a look at other supports available that new parents can take advantage of once the little footprints become apparent.
I also offer some additional tips for saving money on one of life’s financially challenging bundles of joy!
Health care
Maternity and Child Care Scheme is in force for decades. All expectant mothers are entitled to free pregnancy care from their GP and an obstetrician, regardless of private health insurance or medical card. They will get five prenatal and two postpartum check-ups, free deliveries in a public hospital and home visits from a public health nurse. In addition, pregnant women do not pay any hospital charges (A&E or otherwise) for pregnancy-related admissions in public hospitals.
maternity benefit
The Social Security Department pays €250 per week for up to 26 weeks. If your employer gives you your full salary while you are away from work, it must be refunded, although many will simply multiply the benefit with the salary.
While achieving this you may not be able to engage in paid work, which can make things difficult for self-employed women.
extra unpaid leave
You can request an additional 16 weeks of unpaid leave after maternity leave, but are not entitled to it.
paternity leave
The father is entitled to two weeks of paternity benefits (payable at €250 per week) if the father has a substantial PRSI contribution.
parental leave
Not to be confused with parental leave (below), this entitles you to take 26 weeks of unpaid leave until your child is 12 years old.
It can be broken up into six-week blocks with your employer’s permission and is proportionate for part-time workers.
parental leave
The Parental Leave and Benefits Act 2019 sets out the paid leave available to new parents. This is currently five weeks and amounts to €250 per week from the Department of Social Security. It must be taken within the first two years of the child’s life and must be given by the employer to mothers and fathers who request it, although they are not obligated to increase your salary when you take advantage of it.
This will increase to nine weeks in due course, but not nearly enough fathers request it – perhaps for financial reasons – which is something the government hopes to change.
child benefit
It is a universal, tax-free payment made to mothers until their child turns 16 (or 18 if they are in full-time education). The current rate is €140 per child and is not meant to be tested, nor based on PRSI. There are higher payouts for those with twins and multiple births.
home caregiver tax credit
This is a very valuable credit for some couples where one is a stay-at-home parent while the other goes to work, giving the wage-earning spouse a credit of up to €1,600 against their tax. It is paid on a sliding scale, and is not meant to be tested, so the home spouse can work to some degree, but earn no more than €7,200 to get the full benefit, and get nothing. To be able to earn no more than € 10,400.
National Childcare Scheme
Universal Childcare Subsidy is a new benefit, not available to tested children who are over six months of age and under age to qualify for the pre-school ECCE program (usually 3) to help with childcare costs. It is paid at the rate of 50c per hour (maximum 45 hours per week).
This means that a child attending a Tusla-registered childminder or crche receives up to €22.50 per week, which is paid directly to the provider and deducted from the parent’s bill. There is a separate income-assessment subsidy payable to poor families for children up to 15 years of age that pays between €33c and €5.10 per hour for childcare, depending on the age of the child and the income of the parents.
free gp care
All children under the age of 6 (due to be expanded to 7) are entitled to a free GP Visit Card. Along with day-to-day care, this includes specific assessments (weight, height) as well as vaccinations and vaccinations and care for children with asthma.
How to keep baby expenses down
According to research by Laya Healthcare, it costs a whopping €105,321 to bring a child from parenting to college.
They may be small, but they are massive money pits, especially if you insist on taking the kid out with everything. But you don’t have to and there are many ways to keep costs down.
- Review your finances (CCPC.ie has an online financial health-check tool to give you a realistic state of affordability).
- Assess your post-child income, including the benefits you’re entitled to, the tax situation if one of you quits or loses work, and how taking leave may affect your pension eligibility.
- While safety is paramount, there is no need to buy everything new. Toys, clothing, children’s books, high chairs, buggies and many other items can be found in perfect condition at vintage or charity shops for a fraction of the cost. Always buy a new mattress and make sure car seats are in working condition.
- Popular online shops such as Floppyshop.ie, Pretty Things.ie and Thriftify.E all have great deals on the clothing you love already. Since babies grow out of stuff so quickly, most of them are in perfect condition.
- Disposable nappies cost a lot. A child would pass through 4,500 of them, each taking 500 years to rot in a landfill. Reusable options are becoming more popular. Check out sites like Fluffbums.ie (cloth nappies from €12 each), Earthmother.ie (€18.99) and clothesnapillibury.ie for support, appointments and information.
