Help for SIL

KimLouise17

Hi all

i was just after some advice i can give my SIL

She is currently 25 weeks pregnant with her 1st child

She works 8 hours a week at homebase and does bank work for a nursery during the week

some weeks she works full time (very rarely) some she works only one day

the past two weeks she hasnt had no work!

she has asked me what would be best for her to do financially whilst the baby is still young?

should she give up the nursery job for now?


Thanks for any replies x

Indie_Kid

Does she have a partner?

KimLouise17

no her and her partner split up and she has moved back in with her parents ( my in laws)

yoshifumu

In my book working is always better than benefits.

At first point you can often work a certain amount and still get the full amount. But more importantly as you increase your income you not only pay out your NI for future purposes but the benefits tend to decrease in a way that you shouldn't earn less working than not working (it get's blurrier the higher up you go).

That said not having a partner is going to cut up what she's eligible for, and living with her parents will take most of it away. The gvt will basically say she's sorted for accommodation (which is true if not an ideal situation) and that there are fewer mouths to feed (again true but not ideal for her).

The real question becomes, can she support herself if she drops the nursery gig. Does she need it for other purposes? (Savings, to help move her out of where she is - if she wants to etc.) Or would she rather spend time with the kid?

Indie_Kid

She can claim income support from when she's 29 weeks pregnant. Until the child is 5, (it may change again) she can claim income support as a lone parent.

Can she get a permanent (not bank) job in a nursery? At least that way, she'll have a steady income.