35 weeks pregnant and no one wants to help me.

vikki_t_2008

Please please can someone help me, im 35 weeks pregnant a single mother living at home with my parents, due to constant illness i had to go parttime at work working 15 hours a week earning 93.75, my maternity pay what i am getting is 84.38, i applied for benefits help when i was 28 weeks pregnant i was asked questions over the phone and told i could claim income support and housing benefits because i am a lone parent and work under 16 hours a week, today after 7 weeks waiting i have been told my claim will not go threw because i earn enough money to manage on, i am at my witts end im borrowing off my parents to get by there is no way i can afford to look after myself and my baby and rent our own place on 84.38 a week, i am also in a iva agreement for debt which i have to pay 301 a month i am now unable to do so im so scared, please help

Boppy_2

Unfortunately what you have been told is correct, the government states an adult needs around £60 per week to live on so you are getting well over this amount already. You will get child benefit of £18.80 when your baby is born and child tax credits of around £50 all of these weekly. Housing benefit I believe won't pay if you live with family. Does this help hun? Try not to get stressed, believe me once you learn how to budget on such a small amount it works ok, it isn't easy but is do-able.

Scarlett1

You will be entitled to CB of £18.50 per week and Child Tax Credits of around £50 per week, if you go into privately rented accommodation you will get most of your rent paid and your council tax paid, you might just have to be frugal for now, you can always have a look at https://www.entitledto.co.uk

zzzLazyDaisy

Okay, first, as long as you are living at home, your benefits will be limited. You cannot claim HB if you live with your parents, for example, but if you rent you will be entitled to Local Housing Allowance (check your local authority website for the amount allowed in your area) and council tax benefit.

Once the baby is born you will be entitled to child benefit and child tax credits.

I suggest you go onto http://www.entitledto.co.uk/ and try putting in various scenarios to see what your entitlement will be eg if you are not working, if you work 16 hrs a week, etc.

Alternatively if you go to the CAB they will do a 'better off' calculation, which will tell you how much you will get depending on your circumstances

Good luck

Daisy

Oldernotwiser

vikki_t_2008 wrote: »

Please please can someone help me, im 35 weeks pregnant a single mother living at home with my parents, due to constant illness i had to go parttime at work working 15 hours a week earning 93.75, my maternity pay what i am getting is 84.38, i applied for benefits help when i was 28 weeks pregnant i was asked questions over the phone and told i could claim income support and housing benefits because i am a lone parent and work under 16 hours a week, today after 7 weeks waiting i have been told my claim will not go threw because i earn enough money to manage on, i am at my witts end im borrowing off my parents to get by there is no way i can afford to look after myself and my baby and rent our own place on 84.38 a week, i am also in a iva agreement for debt which i have to pay 301 a month i am now unable to do so im so scared, please help

You're getting confused because you're not at present a lone parent and won't be until the baby's born. At the moment you're just a single person on a lowish income, living with her parents and, fortunately, benefits are limited in this situation.

krisskross

Do you already have a child and this pregnancy will mean an addition? That is how your original post sounds.

Is the father willing to help financially?

Penny-Pincher!!

You may also be entitled too the Maternity Grant of £500.

PP
xx

Oldernotwiser

krisskross wrote: »

Do you already have a child and this pregnancy will mean an addition? That is how your original post sounds.

Is the father willing to help financially?

I didn't read it this way but perhaps the OP might clarify things.

skylight

You also need to look at your IVA - this appears to be a huge outgoing and will cripple you now, as you are not earning enough to cover it and may not for some time. The IVA may allow you a few missed payments and thats if you are lucky.

Who is your IVA with? How far into it are you? What assets do you have? What are your future plans (going back to work etc??) Have you looked at other options in dealing with your debts???

Auzelia

Pity you couldnt ask your boss to give you an extra hours work per week taking you to 16 hours.
That way once the baby is born and during your maternity leave you would have been able to claim working tax credits. But without that extra one hour, once the baby is born you can only get Child tax credits.

suelees1

I must say that I'm with skylight with regard to your IVA. Now that your income has reduced it is really important that you look into this. You should have an IVA superviser who you can speak to.

Most companies who advertise help will charge you but the following two are completely free (both with freephone numbers)

National Debtline www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/

or CCCS www.cccs.co.uk/.