1st Time Parents & Low Income-Benefit Advice

Seagull269

Hi

I am wondering if anyone can help me at all?

I am currently expecting and have made enquiries with my employer who has told me that my job cannot be part time and that I will have to work full time or not at all and on those grounds I won't be left with a job once I am a parent.

My husband works and is only on around £15k and I am on around £14,500 currently. I am very confused as I have been trying to look into my entitlements once I have had the baby and my Statutory Maternity Pay is up. I have tried using the benefit checker on Direct.gov and it keeps aaking me about previous tax years etc.

My big question is has anyone on here been in full time work and then become a parent and had a partner on quite a low wage-When I try to claim after the baby is born will they keep assessing all my incomes on the previous year, regardless of not being in work at that time, when I would have been on a salary and then I would be on no salary (Are current income/circumstances into account in the end when a woman has no income, but has worked the previous year?)

I am very confused.

GlasweJen

Right firstly, check that your company will not expect you to repay some of your maternity pay if you don't return from maternity leave.

Next, if you're not working and partner is on a low income you may be entitled to working tax credits, you will get child benefit and child tax credits. You apply for the benefits with last years figures and then phone them with an estimate of this years figures (don't under estimate whatever you do). You can deduct £100 a week from your maternity pay for tax credit calculations as well.