I keep being told I'd be better off not to work once that babies here, also due to the fact I'm going to be as good as a single mum (if that makes sense).

But I haven't got the first clue about benefits and what I could get or am entitled too. If anyone can help me with this or advise me of any sites which I can read up on I'd really appreciate it.

I'm only at about 12 weeks, I'm getting fed up with work already and wish I could get out now to be honest. It's not as if I can try and find a new job now either, can't see many people taking on a pregnant women!! Then there would be the case of maternity pay and leave.....I could really do with some advice pelase.

Sxx

Hey.

If you are i the UK:

From 26 weeks pregnant (I think but it could be a couple of weeks later) you can claim maternity allowance if you can't get maternity pay from your employer. This is 90% of you weekly earnings I think with a min of £30 and max of £120. I think this goes on for 39 weeks.

Just about everyone can claim child benefit which is £18.10 per week at the moment for your first child. Then if you choose not to work I think you can claim income support too but I really don't know how much that is.

Income support is about £100 a week (give or take a few quid depending on circumstances) and you can get your rent and council tax paid for you. You get milk tokens also which are handy if your bottle feeding.

Do you earn over £112 per week? If you do then, if you worked until end of pregnancy and went on maternity leave you would get £112 per week for 39 weeks plus the £18.10 child benefit, i think there's tax credit or something you can claim also which depends on how much you earn.

You need to see how much state benefit pays per week and weigh up your options whether you'd be better off on the SMP or state benefit i dont know how much state benefit is to be honest.

I do have a friend thats going to be a single mother and because she works full time at the moment she will only receive the 112 plus 18.10. whereas if she was on the dole she would be entitled to a lot more benefits.

because me and my partner earn quite a good wage we are only entitled to SMP which means we will be struggling when the baby arrives.

Its so crap how things are worked out. I dont have anything against people on benefits but my SIL gets income support and she gets more a week than i do and i work and ive got rent and everything else to pay for!!!!

I've always said that I'd rather work than get benefits, I don't agree with it but now I've got littlen on the way and I'm going to be a single mum it's gradually looking the better way to go.

The child care costs alone would mean it's not worth me coming to work. I really don't know what to do but trying to find out about what I'd be entitled too are proving a bit difficult.

I know if I stay at my current job till my maternity leave then I'll receive the £112 a week for 39 weeks but if I don't come back to work after that I don't know what it is I can claim also what if anything else I can claim whilst on maternity leave as I'll be losing about £500 a month.....

Why is everything so confusing!!!! Thank you for your comments tho girls.

Sxx

I totally understand where your coming from. I think if i was a single parent it wouldnt be worth me working either.

You should go on the department for work and pensions website, it might be able to tell you what your entitled to.

I am not criticising people who claim benefits but the government really, Its a bad system when you'd be better off claiming benefits then working aint it, theres no incentive to go out to work these days!

I will be losing over 800 per month only getting SMP.

And I thought I was going to lose a lot!! That's stupid amounts of money, I agree it stupid the amount of money you get not working compared to working.

I lost 1400 a month when on maternity!!!!!

I think you shoudl personally stay at home with babe,I work full time and it is no joke. In fact with Melie teething I could just stand and cry at work most days with exhaustion.

I am getting to the point where I think is all the money I earn (and it is a fantastic wage) worth it. If you can get what you can,hun.

All the best