18 and Pregnant with no income at all?

ispookie666

Why am I picking up the bill as a tax payer for some one who could not keep their legs X

[Deleted User]

The OP_is an 18 year old who has posted on here to find out her options. If you made no mistakes in your life, then you have every right to post as above, otherwise, you don't. Yes, ideally no one would get pregnant without being sure they could support a child but even if this is done, they can find their circumstances change in later life and they need to be in receipt of benefits. Sometimes long term if the child turns out to have special needs, something no one can predict.., should they be blamed too? You might remember that the position this young lady finds herself in is quite devastating to her as well.

I am sorry you are in this situation OP.., I hope you will phone some of the organisations suggested for advice. Try the CAB too. I hope your mum is speaking out of shock.

For a start, I found http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/teenager-pregnant.aspx#close

This link might be particularly helpful http://gingerbread.org.uk/content/681/Teenage-parents-benefits-finder. I only read it quickly but it looks like there may be some benefits (may be limited,I don't know) you could access from 10th week of pregnancy.

There are other links, I just googled 'uk young pregnant advice'.., I hope this information helps.

I believe each school has bursaries you can apply for which help with support/education costs. However, I believe your mother can still get tax credits and child benefit as long as you are in non-advanced education (A levels or Btec) until you are 20. Or if you are on a Connexions approved course (some of them are really really good, my older son did a Princes Trust course when he decided to leave sixth form, as he had to wait some months to go on to a college course). Some people give the wrong information about this due to ignorance, phone tax credits yourself directly. Unfortunately the JobCentre can also give the wrong advice (I don't know how they can be so badly informed, but they are) so I'd advise you to find a specialist advice giving organisation. MIND would be another starting point.