FJ - there are extreme circumstances in which you can apply to have it paid in a lump sum, but most requests will be denied. buying baby "essentials" such as a cot etc will be denied in almost every instance because you've had a whole pregnancy to organise this... perhaps for an extremely premmie baby that has had to be flown from the country to the city and parents have had extreme expense as a result, it would be taken into consideration, but those cases will be few and far between...