Health In Pregnancy Grant (HIPG)

Bringing a new life into the world is certainly a joy to behold, yet, in equal measure, it can also be a very stressful experience. Particularly in these gloomy economic times, the financial worries of raising a newborn child are enough to make many prospective parents think twice. Nevertheless, the UK Government has devised a scheme whereby mums-to-be are given financial help during the latter stages of their pregnancy and in preparation of the child's birth. The Health in Pregnancy Grant scheme took effect from the 1st January 2009 for babies expected on or after 6th April 2009.

Listen to the Health In Pregnancy Grant Podcast here.

In order to qualify for the Health in Pregnancy Grant, you must be at least 25 weeks pregnant and the baby's due date must be on or after 6th April 2009. A further condition of the grant stipulates that you have been provided with professional health advice from either a midwife or a doctor – this is simply to reinforce the scheme's raison d'être, which is to aid the health and wellbeing of both you and your unborn child.

To qualify, you must also be "present, 'ordinarily resident' and have a 'right to reside' in the UK". In respect to 'ordinarily resident', this is wholly dependent on the circumstances of each individual case but in general terms it will usually require that your main home is in the UK.  Precisely what constitutes the 'main home' is open to further interpretation, but it is contended that you ought to reside in the UK permanently.  Indeed, HM Revenue & Customs requires not only that the main home is in the UK but that you have chosen to live and settle in the UK and only travel abroad for short periods, such as on a holiday.

You can be said to have a 'right to reside' in the UK if you are:

• a UK national (or come from the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland)
• from the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland and they are either employed or self-employed in the UK or actively looking for work whilst registered with Jobcentre Plus.

If you are a Non-UK or Non EEA mum-to-be, you may qualify for the grant if you have:

• permission to enter or remain in the UK or are the partner of an EEA or Swiss national who has the right to reside.
• residency status in countries that have recently (since 2004) joined the European Union, so you must ensure that these are checked carefully with HM Revenues & Customs if they apply to their situation.

New arrivals to the UK may only qualify for the Health in Pregnancy Grant if, upon satisfaction of the conditions stipulated above, you are not subject to immigration control. However, even if immigration control applies, you may still qualify for the grant if you have a family member who is:

• from the UK or another EEA country,
• sponsored to stay in the UK,
• from Algeria, Morocco, San Marino, Tunisia or Turkey and working legally in the UK

Health in Pregnancy Grant - How much is the Heatlh in Pregnancy Grant?

The Health in Pregnancy Grant provides a one-off payment of £190 per pregnancy – so, if you have twins, triplets or more are expected, the grant will still only pay out £190. Nevertheless, the grant is made irrespective of financial circumstances so all eligible claimants receive the same amount. Furthermore, it is paid in addition to any other benefits received, such as Child Benefit, Child Trust Funds and Child or Working Tax Credits.

For reasons of financial security, the grant will be paid directly into your (the expectant mother's) bank or building society account. The account nominated on the Health in Pregnancy Grant claim form must be in your or your appointee's name. The £190 one-off payment will not be made by any alternative arrangement, so you must ensure that a valid bank or building society account has been set up to receive the grant.

Health in Pregnancy Grant - When does it Start? 

April 2009 is the earliest time for payment of claims made between January and March 2009, and if by May, you haven't heard from them, you can start chasing up missing payments.

Health in Pregnancy Grant - How do I Claim?

Once it is determined that you qualify for the Health in Pregnancy Grant, a claim must be made for the grant. To do this, a claim form should be filled out as soon as you are 25 weeks  pregnant. As any mother will be aware, it is not always possible to keep track of matters like this whilst pregnant.  Therefore, the Government has introduced a confidential reminder service to which you can sign up.  If you choose to use this service, a reminder will be sent to her via e-mail or text when you reach week 25 to fill out the claim form.

Sign-up here for the HiPG reminder service

Health in Pregnancy Grant claim forms are available at ante-natal appointments on or after the 25th week of pregnancy and are provided by a midwife or doctor. Alternatively, a claim form can be obtained by calling the Health in Pregnancy Grant Helpline on 0845 366 7885, which can also assist with sending larger print claim forms. Applicants working overseas should call +44 292 050 1178 for further guidance.

In normal circumstances, you should fill in and return the Health in Pregnancy Grant claim form.  However, if you are ill or disabled and therefore cannot manage your own affairs, an appointee may complete the form on your behalf provided that he or you have completed a BF56 form, which is available at the Jobcentre Plus.

To fill in the claim form, you should have all the relevant details to hand, such as your National Insurance Number (this can be left blank if lost or not known), and your bank or building society account details (and roll number if necessary).  You should always use black ink, write clearly in capital letters and inside the boxes.

The Health in Pregnancy Grant claim form requires that certain personal information be entered. This includes your name and home address, the former of which should match whatever is used for tax purposes and, if too long for the boxes provided, should be written clearly in the space below them. As mentioned above, it is not strictly necessary to enter a National Insurance Number. However, it is beneficial to do so and the number may be found on payslips, a P60 form or letters from the Tax Credit Office, Jobcentre Plus, the Department for Work and Pensions or HM Revenue & Customs.

Health in Pregnancy Grant - Important Information

After you have completed the claim form, you must ensure that the midwife or doctor looking after you fills in the necessary boxes and signs the form. Crucially, you must then ensure that the claim is received by the Health in Pregnancy Grant office within 31 days of the midwife or doctor signing the form. Failure to do this may result in you losing out on your entitlement to the grant, so it is advised that all details are completed and sent off as soon as possible.

Health in Pregnancy Grant - Contacting the Helpline

If you experience any problems in completing the claim form, you should call the Health in Pregnancy Grant Helpline on 0845 366 7885 (or ++44 292 050 1178 if you live outside of the UK) for guidance as soon as possible. Lines are open between 8am and 8pm seven days a week, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Once all relevant parts of the form have been completed and the declaration is signed, it should be sent to the following address:

HM Revenue & Customs
Health in Pregnancy Grant
Comben House
Farriers Way
Liverpool
L75 1AX

Website
http://www.campaigns.direct.gov.uk/money4mum2be/

Helpline on 0845 366 7885

Health In Pregnancy Grant Podcast

Listen to the Health In Pregnancy Grant Podcast and find out how to claim the Free £190 Health in Pregnancy Grant.

Click here for the Health in Pregnancy Grant Podcast. 

Other related articles from MyEggNest

Health In Pregnancy Grant: Ease Your Pocket And Your Pain

Health In Pregnancy Grant to Help New Parents

Child Benefit

Child Trust Fund

Child Tax Credit  

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