PhD student with new baby, can we claim any benefits?

PGTSTUDENTHELP

Thank you everyone for your replies!

I've been today to talk to our local council, it does seem that we would be solely living off of my stipend if my partner was to stop working. So our plan is to ask the university if I could work 1 or 2 days a week from home and ask his work if he can alter his hours/days of work. Hopefully this results in my partner still bringing in some money whilst we work alternate times so that we can reduce the amount of childcare we will need. I don't know what we can do if either employer refuses this, fingers crossed this will work for us. Luckily I am in the last year of my PhD so this phase of life shouldn't last too long, but it also means my PhD will be over by the time we would be entitlted to any free childcare - which is the time we seem most in need.

I am sometimes able to pick up some demonstrating/marking work from being a teaching assistant at the university - I study chemical engineering. However, this would most likely result in more childcare time for my son - I guess it will just be a huge balancing act for the next while!

xylophone

Could your partner pick up more hours/another job between now and your return to study so as to build up a fund to supplement your bursary?