Help with benefits..

Yassy19 · 12-01-2012, 19:14

Hi,

I would like some help from people about what benefits I am entitled to as a pregnant woman. The problem is I have a couple of different circumstances at the moment. I have tried to look online but it is so vague and confusing I thought it would be best to ask on here, as people in similar situations could help.

Here are the two difference scenarios. I would like to know if I am entitied to tax credits, housing benefit, council tax etc etc in both situations and also what amounts I could expect to receive.

First one is me and my boyfriend could both be out of work. I would be on maternity leave and receiving SMP however my boyfriend would be completely out of work and on jobseekers. If this is the case I presume we would be entitled to quite a lot of help, however it is amounts I am confused about.

The second one is obviously me still on maternity leave, with my boyfriend in a a job. As he is currently looking for a job it is hard to say what his income would be but I would imagine it would be around the £16,000 mark as this is what he was earning in his last job.

Any bits of help or advice people could give me would be appreciated.

Xx

Bludragonfly · 12-01-2012, 19:33

Hi congratulations on your pregnancy.

The benefits system is very complicated. You really need to talk to a specialist so I would suggest trying Citizen Advice Bureau or your local equivalent.

People on here can guess and some will be a good guess but others wouldn't eg some benefits depend on when and for how long you paid national insurance whilst others don't

Good luck

Yassy19 · 12-01-2012, 19:37

I've tried calling citizens advice to get an appointment, tried for the last few days but I can't even get through :-( I will keep trying

Thanks anyways

andygardener · 12-01-2012, 19:52

So you're pricing up whether it's going to make you more money in the short term for your fella to not work and be paid for by everyoe else than to earn £16k?

The advice I'd give you is whether or not the benefits system would make you a bit better or worse off do you want your child growing up looking up to their Daddy the working man or wondering why everyone elses Daddy seems to go to work and theirs doesn't?

If your fella genuinely can't get a job despite best efforts for a bit then no shame in that, times are tough, but it's this cynical calculating approach to benefits as a financial choice that narks people off.

Yassy19 · 12-01-2012, 19:55

Andy I suggest you do not jump to conclusions.

You know absolutely nothing about me! Actually, my boyfriend has just been laid off work. This is through no fault of his and trust me, he cannot wait to get back into work!

I will have a baby in 20 weeks and I simply need to know what help I would get if he doesn't find a job in time!! I also need to know what help we would get if he does find a job.

So, how about you get off my post, considering you have nothing helpful to say!!!

Yassy19 · 12-01-2012, 19:57

The only reason I am asking is so I know if I can afford to stay in my house! Funnily enough, I can't live on £123 a week maternity pay.

molly44 · 12-01-2012, 20:02

its no use trying to explain things to people who are totally without understanding. i am in dire straits myself and although i tried to explain things people only hear what they want to. just try and take things with a big pinch of salt on here.

lewbeedoo · 12-01-2012, 20:03

go to http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

Yassy19 · 12-01-2012, 20:05

Thanks Molly :-)

Don't think people understand that some people actually don't want to sponge off other people. Some people do want to go out and work and not sit on the arses all day... but sometimes it's not always that simple.

Hope you get sorted too x

Yassy19 · 12-01-2012, 20:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewbeedoo

go to http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

Thanks! :-)

andygardener · 12-01-2012, 20:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yassy19

The only reason I am asking is so I know if I can afford to stay in my house! Funnily enough, I can't live on £123 a week maternity pay.

It would have been sensible to put that in your original post. I responded to what you put in it, which if you reread it and imagaine that's all anyone knows about you, looks for all the world like asking "am i better or worse off if my OH gets a job or not?"

Preface it with "I need to make a decision about staying in my current house or moving somewhere cheaper before the baby is born and just need to know what the financial worst case scenario will be if my OH doesn't get a job" and the post looks very different.

Badlittlepup · 12-01-2012, 20:18

Agh. Bad circumstances. Problem is if you are on SMP through your employer then you probably won't be entitled to help with housing, council tax etc because you still have that money coming in.

You will be entitled to child benefit, working and child tax credits and if your wages are low enough partial housing benefit. But you won't be treated as though ou are on full benefits and both out of work where the full range of benefits kicked in.

It's an awful rotten situation but when one of you has SOME money coming in you will probably be worse of than you would be if neither of you are working at all. So you would probably be better off with him working as the benefits you would get with your SMP would nowhere near make up for the loss in wages.

Good luck. I have a baby due soon and it's really nerve wracking with finances and everything the way it is at the moment particularly where work is precarious and you may just have one of you earning. It seems like you get penalised for having a partner and penalised if one of you works rather than neither. It's so unfair. I wish you all the best!

Slynsammie · 12-01-2012, 20:19

Its all very confusing the benefits system. Will you be on maternity from work or would it be maternity allowance?

Yassy19 · 12-01-2012, 20:22

I would be on maternity leave, but I doubt I would return as I couldn't afford childcare.
I would receive the £123 per week SMP

Badlittlepup · 12-01-2012, 20:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yassy19

The only reason I am asking is so I know if I can afford to stay in my house! Funnily enough, I can't live on £123 a week maternity pay.

I didn't see that! So you will be on maternity allowance rather than SMP through an employer? In that case yes, if your boyfriend is out of work then you will probably get access to council tax and housing benefit. In similar circumstances myself and dependent on what your rent is if it hovers somewhere around the £500pcm mark you would probably JUST about break even with what you'd get on benefits on £16,000 plus whatever you would get. You'd MAY also still probably be entitled to a couple of grand a year housing benefit if he was on that amount plus working tax credits.

Yassy19 · 12-01-2012, 20:28

Thankyou for your help badlittlepup.

Rupert_Baehr · 12-01-2012, 21:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by molly44

its no use trying to explain things to people who are totally without understanding. i am in dire straits myself and although i tried to explain things people only hear what they want to. just try and take things with a big pinch of salt on here.

Don't you get your money for nothing and your chicks for free?

Can I have your autygraph?

beani · 12-01-2012, 21:22

Go on to the site "entitledto.com" and put your both scenarios in . It will give you an idea. Good luck .

yorkiepudd · 12-01-2012, 21:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by beani

Go on to the site "entitledto.com" and put your both scenarios in . It will give you an idea. Good luck .

I would agree with this. I have used it regularly to check our how changes will affect me and if I'm missing out on something.

Bubble3082 · 12-01-2012, 22:51

My circumstances aren't exactly the same as yours, as I'm a lone parent, but I would be much better off financially working part-time. You can get quite a lot of help with childcare as well as housing/council tax benefit contributions. To me its the best of both worlds as you can work part time and be with your child. As for finding a job, however, its not as simple! I've been applying for over a year now with no luck, so could you stay at your current place of work with reduced hours? xx