pregnant, working full time and confused!!!

mojojojo25

Hello All,

I have a query. I was in a stable 2 and a half year relationship when I got pregnant however as it was an accident it turns out his true feelings became apparent and I am now on my own.

Anyway I am currently working full time and will return to work between 6-8 months after the baby is born in March.

The flat I was renting by myself is pretty much a small studio/bedsit and was £400 a month to rent (privately). This really is not suitable for me and the baby (location, size and total lack of facilities - no washing machine, cold, damp and generally nasty!) This was fine for myself as its all I could afford.

I earn around £15,000 a year so about £1,040 after tax etc and at the moment £400 goes straight on rent, £75 car insurance (I only passed my test this March) £75 council tax, £50 electric, about £50 more towards other bills and I am currently paying off some very old debts so about £200 go towards them.

I have found a suitable flat and paid a small deposit on it already. It is a one bedroom renting out at £600 pre month privately, and as I need time to get settled in before the baby arrives in march I will be moving in January.

I need to know if there is any help available to me. I think I will struggle to pay the rent for Jan - March at £600 per month with my current income but its just something I have to do, the idea of the baby coming early and having to stay in my current flat is just horrible. Is there any help I can get with the rent for those few months? What benefits will I be entitled to? I am just so confused I've never claimed for anything and I don't really understand when I can start claiming and how I do it.

Can anyone advise me? I'm really trying to make sure that everything is organised but if I don't know what help I will have then I can't plan ahead and I don't want any additional stress after everything I have already been through. This is my first child and I am scared and doing this alone but I have got a good group of friends, they all work as well and don't have children so can't advise but I know they will support me.

Thanks in advance.

:A

BigAunty

You can find out the maximum LHA rate (housing benefit for private rental) on the Direct Gov website. This will be reduced by your income.

You can identify your full benefit entitlements by putting in the two scenarios (before birth and after) in the Turn2us online benefit calculator.

The maintenance paid by the non resident parent is on top of anything you may receive from the state. There is a child support forum on this website. He will be expected to pay a certain percentage of his net income towards you.

You should ask the Debt Free wanabee forum for ways to deal with your debts when your income decreases.

How old are you?

**kym**

Well assuming you've been working long enough in your current job, you will get 90% of your pay for the first 6 weeks followed by statutory maternity pay at approx £128 per week for up to an additional 33 weeks as a minimum, more if your employer offers a maternity pay package.

You will definitely get child benefit which is around £20 per week.

And you will definitely qualify for tax credits - you can get a rough idea of the tax credits you can expect at www.entitledto.co.uk.

As for other benefits, I would check if you are entitled to receive housing benefit or council tax benefit though I dont know much about these.

mojojojo25

Hi,

Thanks for your response. I have just turned 27. The last year or so has been a bit difficult in all honesty. Was in a job paying £22,500 pa but got made redundant and despite my best efforts the job I am in at the moment is the only job that I managed to get in 6 months or interviews! competition was extremely high. So my income has taken a huge blow anyway but this hasn't helped the situation much.

I know he will have to pay some maintenance - he pays maintenance for his other daughter who is now 9 years old but only pays about half what he should. Either way I'm just hoping that I'll get some help with the rent when the baby gets here until I come back to work.

My main concern at the moment is Jan - March. I don't have any spare income really and I dont get paid sick pay and the 3 days I have had off sick (severe morning sickness)will come out of my December salary and that will be a huge blow. I still need to get a cot, some furniture (only the absolute bare essentials) and cover the rest of the deposit that I haven't paid + the extra £200 a month from Jan - March. I'm concerned that at the moment I'm stretching myself too thin, living off noodles (not exactly good for the baby). I would consider working part time as well as my full time job until then, however its proving very difficult to find somewhere that will take me on with hours I can fit in and my pregnancy.

I don't think the stress is helping much either.

krisskross

I would think you will get the Sure start grant, this would help quite a bit. Have you looked into housing benefit and council tax benefit as these 2 alone are 50% or so of your income. Even a few pounds will help. Good luck!

BigAunty

Can't answer some of your specific questions. Not aware of any benefits you can get from the state during your actual pregnancy. Use the benefit calculators to check out various scenarios.

Note the following HB change which will impact the LHA you are eligible for early next year until the baby is born. You could look to see if you'd be eligible for discretionary housing benefit. You could check if you are due any LHA now.

"Changes from January 2012

The shared accommodation rate currently applies to single people under the age of 25 living in accommodation that they rent from a private landlord. This will be extended to people aged under 35.
This means that single people under 35 will no longer receive Housing Benefit based on one bedroom self-contained accommodation."

Consider places like Freegle, Gumtree Freebies, Freecycle and charity shops for your furniture and baby stuff, plus hopefully directing your friends and relatives to various needed goodies as gifts for the baby - time to ask your best mate to plan a baby shower?.

Download the budget planner on the MSE website and work through the whole site to work out where to slash costs and be extra thrifty. You should be unable to find the recipe website that a member has devised which has been approved by a nutritionist where a family of 4 can feed themselves for £100. No need to eat noodles as you should find cheap recipes.

What are the debts that you are paying off at £200 per month? It is usually possible to negotiate debt repayments - who do you owe this money to and why? It's currently eating up 20% of your net income.

Can you get rid of the car?

Have you considered applying for social housing?

Have you signed the tenancy agreement for your new place?

What is the rent compared with the LHA rate for a room in a shared property or 2 bedroom rate when the baby is born? Generally LHA covers the bottom third cheapest places to rent in the local area. I am worried that you may have moved into a property whose rent exceeds the maximum LHA limit so you will always end up robbing peter to pay the rent but if it's a 1 bedroom perhaps its more affordable to you? You'd still get the 2 bed LHA rate even if you are in a smaller place with the baby, I think?.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DG_196239

vasseur

Hi mojojojo

I can't answer your specific questions on entitlements etc but with regards to stuff for the baby have you looked round any NCT sales in your area?

http://www.nct.org.uk/

You can pick up lots of things for the baby at bargain prices, it may be secondhand but the baby doesn't know that!

Pr1mark, Asd@, Mr T's etc all sell sleepsuits at reasonable prices - you don't need to buy everything at once, and to start with you won't need much more than a cot and a pram, feeding equipment, blankets, nappies etc. PM if you want tips on what (not) to buy. Don't believe everything you read in baby catalogues! You will not need a heated wipes holder!!!

I was in your situation 8 years ago. It is daunting and you feel like everything is against you but you sound like you have a good support network around you. And you have the baby to look forward to too!

It isn't all bad either, singleparenthood. We got into a routine really quickly and the upshot was I had a really placid baby.

Good luck, PM me if you need any other advice

Fiver29

You need very little for a newborn baby. Even a cot isn't a necessity for a while, a Moses basket or a bottom drawer is fine for a while. Are there and second hand sales groups on Facebook for your area, ours always has loads of baby stuff on. And of course you can use it to offload anything you have and no longer want. Moving is an ideal time to have a clear out and make a bit of money.

You say you have a car, do you need it for work? If not it might be worth trying to find a friend with a driveway and SORNing it until you get on your feet a bit more.

MrsManda

If you put your details into the direct.gov benefits calculator and turn2us benefit calculator you'll get a rough idea of what you may be able to claim.
http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

https://www.dwpe-services.direct.gov.uk/portal/page/portal/ba/lp?_piref278_36249_278_36248_36248.__ora_navig=action%3Dentitlement%26pageno%3D16

Child maintanence paid by the father won't count towards your income for benefits purposes.
Are you going to be able to come to an arrangement with the father for child maintanence or are you going to need to go via the CSA?

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/YourMoney/DG_4003043

threemuttleys

Mojo..dont know where you are...but I have a mountain of baby things (steriliser, few clothes, Old carry cot) that I dont need...if it would help you (and you are in the Kent area) you are welcome to have xx

marywooyeah

theres a post above regarding maternity pay which I am not sure is correct - the "90% for the first six weeks" I'm fairly certain is only paid if your company pays company maternity pay, otherwise it's just statutory maternity pay at the current weekly rate.

OP are there any markets near you where you could get cheap fruit and veg? much better diet for the baby without eating into your budget. £600 sounds like a lot for rent though, it's 50% more than you were already paying so this is taking up a lot of your money. depending on which area you live in you may well be able to rent a 2 or 3 bedroomed house for less than that.