Girlfriend's pregnant...

IntriguedUser

Hi, I'm 21 and my girlfriend is 17, and she's pregnant. She's decided she's keeping it, and I said I'll offer my support whichever option she decided to take in relation to the baby.

I'm not sure what to do, I live at home with my mum and sister, and there's no space here, and her mum kicked her out, so she's been homeless for a couple of months, she stayed at mine for a month, and has been swapping between close friends for the other time.

Where do we go to enquire about housing, I'm clueless when it comes to council housing/benefits, she will be 18 by the time she has the baby, meaning we? or she? Can apply for council housing. Her gran has allowed her to stay in a spare room at hers, but she was adamant that its not a permanent thing.

She's jobless and I work full-time as a Bus Driver.

Any advice appreciated,

Kind regards,

Rosco84

You would be able to apply for social housing by either visiting your local office or completing the application online. If you are looking for a quick answer you are better off going to see them, if you apply online you usually have to wait around 4 weeks for confirmation.
If you are looking to get a house together you can do a joint application.
You will have to check with your local council but most Councils will offer housing to applicants over 16 in special circumstances if they have a guarantor.
For benefits advice your best bet is to look at www,gov,uk / benefits

restless6

If she is a single parent, you will have to pay child support.
If you stay with her, you will support her and the baby.

tax credits and child benefit are the main areas you need to research.

If she has a room at a family members house, she will not be a priority for social housing, whether she likes the room or not is irrelavant.

When_the_going_gets_tough

As she is under 18 I think she should be receiving are and support from children's services at your local council. There will be a telephone number on your councils website I think this is your first port of call.

IntriguedUser

So if I'm not living with her then technically she's a single parent ?:S even if I'm around?

I'm not sure what the best solution will be, for her to get help with a hostel/flat or stay with a family member.

I will contact the local office to get advice, thanks guys.

whitewing

In an ideal world, you and her should move in together as soon as you can to build a stable home for your new family.

How would you honestly feel about that? Are you ready to commit to your girlfriend as well as the child or does it feel you with dread?

When is the baby due?

I think also your girlfriend probably needs some professional emotional support, outside of you. Is she seeing a midwife?

Depending on her background (as I don't know what your girlfriend's circumstances are like), would she benefit from living with a foster carer who could help her become independent at looking after the baby? This may not be an option anyway in your area.

Whatever happens, the baby's health and happiness will take priority over you and your girlfriend, but then again a lot of young people are brilliant with children. I found being a single parent very tough and I was a bit older than you.

Alias_Omega

IntriguedUser wrote: »

Hi, I'm 21 and my girlfriend is 17, and she's pregnant. She's decided she's keeping it, and I said I'll offer my support whichever option she decided to take in relation to the baby.

I'm not sure what to do, I live at home with my mum and sister, and there's no space here, and her mum kicked her out, so she's been homeless for a couple of months, she stayed at mine for a month, and has been swapping between close friends for the other time.

Where do we go to enquire about housing, I'm clueless when it comes to council housing/benefits, she will be 18 by the time she has the baby, meaning we? or she? Can apply for council housing. Her gran has allowed her to stay in a spare room at hers, but she was adamant that its not a permanent thing.

She's jobless and I work full-time as a Bus Driver.

Any advice appreciated,

Kind regards,

Congratulations....


Its awesome...I love being a dad.....


The youngest is getting older now, and the days when being a "real day" are becoming less and less as they move into the "xBox Generation" then the "Hanging Out" phases in life...

TBagpuss

Do the two of you wish to live together? Would you be in a position to rent a flat or house together?

If not, hen your partner needs to be looking into accommodation for herself. She should start with the local housing office.

Dird

restless6 wrote: »

If she has a room at a family members house, she will not be a priority for social housing, whether she likes the room or not is irrelavant.

He said she alternates between houses. If she's milking the system right then she'll say that she's "sofa surfing". My sis did the same recently after choosing not to abort & got a council flat a few weeks later. "sofa surfing" comes under one of the higher priorities, even if the sofa surfing was in fact alternating between stopping at mine & her bf's family house

marksoton

IntriguedUser wrote: »

She's decided she's keeping it,

You might want to adjust your terminology if you're going to be a father!

emsywoo123

G_M wrote: »

How many months?

Is there still time to convince her to be sensible?

May not be politically correct to say these days but..... she's bonkers.

(and unless it was a split condom, you're irresponsible)

bobbymotors wrote: »

Might sound hard nosed...but I agree.

both for your sake and hers, it will not end well.

I expect this is exactly what the OP turned to MSE for.

It may be the making of her/them. It may not. But it has got s0d all to do with housing and why he came to this website.