Benefit QUestion for New Parents

bigfatmonkey1

hi all i have a few questions regarding working tax benefit ect,

both me and my wife have worked for the last 10 years, this year we had our first daughter, all is great apart from my business has gone down the pan, however i have been very lucky to have been offered and accepted a job with a national company earning £23k a year, now last year my wife earned 11K. she is currently on maternity however we are looking ahead to what happens when it ends.

she is either looking at going back part time or possibly finishing completely, my question is if she gives up work what is she classed as ? unemployed or something else ? what benefits would she be entitled to if she did give up work, i am trying to work out if its worth her going back at all, we dont have any real baby sitters in the family and we had always planned for here to finish when the baby was born, that was until my business went under.

thanks in advance for your reply

Newly_retired

You can put in a joint claim for Child Tax Credits. She will also get Child Benefit.

bigfatmonkey1

if she worked less than 16 hours would she get income support even though i earn £23K ?

Newly_retired

no, your household income is assessed.

karenx

bigfatmonkey1 wrote: »

if she worked less than 16 hours would she get income support even though i earn £23K ?

Income support is for lone parents and sick/disabled. So no she isnt entitled to that

There is nothing she can claim for not going back to work. Apart from child tax credits and child benefit which you would get regardless

DX2

bigfatmonkey1 wrote: »

if she worked less than 16 hours would she get income support even though i earn £23K ?

No she wouldn't get IS full stop.

Mojisola

If she's going to stop work make sure the Child Benefit is in her name as that will count towards her State Pension.

When you're doing your sums to work out if you can afford it, remember that she won't have the costs associated with work. There masses of advice on these boards of ways to trim budgets so that you're not spending money you don't need to.