toriaaaaTRASH

So right now, apart from when I ask my mum for the odd bit of money, which I feel so bad doing, I'm pretty much living off NOTHING. I feel bad asking Rich for money because we're so up and down. Down right now Mums starting to ask me if I'll be getting any money before babies born because I'm not working all her poll tax and stuff has gone up? I'm not sure I'm actually entitled to anything while Rich is around and working? I live with my mum right now, and I can't ask Rich for money when we're arguing all the time. Just wondered if there was any way I could get money? Starting to worry about mums bills

I asked my friend about income support and she said they'll take Rich to court for money. I don't really feel comfortable doing that while we're trying to sort things out?

nutty

Sorry hun I can't remember you're over 18?

If you and Rich are not living together then you can make a claim to benefit as a single person.
You can only claim income support 11 weeks before your due date until then unless your doctor has signed you off as sick (in which case you'd claim incapacity benefit/income support) you can claim jobseekers allowance then switch over to income support.

Hope that makes sense

just saw the bit about taking Rich to court until the baby is born the jobcentre would not worry about maintenance, if you carried on claiming after the baby arrived they would ask about maintenance from Rich but they wouldn't take him to court

toriaaaaTRASH

Yeah I'm over 18. I'm gonna go down jobcenter next week. Thanks

anita665

You should be able to claim Jobseekers allowance. I know that you're not likely to get a job now as I'm in the same situation but as far as I know it's all you're likely to be entitled to for a while longer.

Honestly they won't really expect you to be able to find a job but you still need to sign on and go through the process of looking. At least then you have money coming in.

Then I think you can possibly switch to income support at 29 weeks. You should also be able to get maternity allowance if you've worked in the last year for more than 13 weeks I think and earnt more than £30 per week. If not you will probably be able to claim incapacity benefit and the sure start maternity grant. I'm not sure how much they'll be affected by what other people living in your household earn though.

You'll find the job centre will probably be quite unhelpful and just give you a number to call which you can get if you look in the phone book anyway. It's the number for new benefit claims and they'll tell you what you're entitled to.

Good luck!!

nutty

If you don't already have an appointment your best bet is phoning 0800 055 6688 as you have to start the process over the phone or you can go onto the jobcentre website and fill out the forms online and then someone will contact with an appointment. When you go for your appointment make sure they give you a healthy start pack so you can claim vouchers for milk & veg. They don't generally back date claims so I'd contact them as soon as you can

xarlenex

Too avoid the rich giving maintenance thing you only have to say he provides in the form of clothing and nappies. something like that.

Tilly

I got Jobseekers Allowance, which changed to Income support - fine whilst with your parents because you class as single. If you move in together, you wll be "co-habiting" so you will not be eligible for IS anymore so you must cancel it.