Are all purely financial to us.


I've finished uni now (only have my exams and diss left to hand in and do in a few weeks time).

I have my last student loan that will last me about 3 months tops. No one will employ me-I've tried. Plus I can't claim anything How will I survive until the baby is here?

My husband doesn't earn enough to pay my bills too. I have applied for job seekers allowance today but I wont hear anything until after easter. I'm not sure if I am able to have anything though because my husband works.

Not only that. My husband works part time as a teacher. He's contracted 22 hours a week. BUT he has about 2 hours of paperwork each day after that, which he doesn't get paid for. The minimum hours for working tax credits and child tax credits is 24 hours. SO, I've got to ask (when they re open) if they'll classify his 2 hours a day as 'overtime'. But he doesn't get paid for it as overtime. Paperwork comes in to his job and he's meant to do it to get paid but he's paid for 22 hours of actual teaching. I'm not sure if they'll accept this. If they don't then I have to go back to work as soon as the baby is born. I mean like, the week after! We wont be able to survive otherwise. He can't get another job because he spends the rest of the day planning lessons and doing paperwork, but unless he does that, he cant teach. Its catch 22. Please let them accept his paperwork as 'overtime'.

I'm finding it very hard to think of anything else at the moment. Its getting me down a lot!

We can't survive without me getting any income but no one will employ me (I've tried) and how can they expect me to get a job straight after I give birth? But unless they do give us anything, I wont have a choice.

I want to cry.

Having a baby right now is such bad timing.

I didn't want to read and run. I hope you get sorted out with something. Could your husbands place increase his hours to 24 if he explained the situation?

Try not to stress too much, I'm a great believer that everything always works out
X

I am sure there is a way. Look at the gov website about what you can be entilted to. There might be some sure start grants etc.
Can your or his parents help? Search for different charities, there might be something for the families. I am sure things get better and baby can't be in the wrong time. Good luck!

Oh hun, I'm sorry you are having to go through this at the moment

Do you have any skills you can utilise from home? Or would you be able to work in other peoples homes doing cleaning or such like? Starting something like that now would mean you would still be able to do some hours after the birth of your baby as well?

I understand your concerns about your OH having to do paperwork etc outwith his 22 hours of teaching, but it he had a 40 hour per week teaching job he would still have to do the extra work outside of hours, so even for the next few months could he not take a wee part time job at the weekend to try and get some savings so you can get more time off after the birth? Could he even just do some additional tuition outwith school hours, especially with exams coming up soon?

I would hate to think of you having to work a week after the birth - you won't be anywhere near recovered even if you have the most straightforward, easy birth I hope you are able to get jobseekers - you should be able to as it is based on each individual, and not what your partner earns unlike income support

xxx

I'm not sure. He's covering maternity, so I doubt it.

He 'll have to get another job in the summer too for the 6 weeks they break up. We might just be able to get something for that. He'll do the playscheme, which is what I usually do every summer, but being pregnant, obviously, I can't. This is 25 hours a week so, for 6 weeks, we might just be able too. But then, its what happens afterwards. Will they accept his 22 hours actual paid teaching + 2 hours extra paperwork a day non paid as 24 hours?

I suppose because he'll be working for 6 weeks for 25 hours a week, they'll let us have tax credits but what do I do until then whilst I'm waiting to give birth? I'm not entitled to any maternity benefits at all. And probably not job seekers allowance either.

If he was teaching 40 hours a week Boofs, this would include time in that 40 hours for his paperwork. But part time teachers dont have this. Its very complicated. Full time teachers teach 5 days a week for 6 hours, plus they get the extra 10 hours on top for paper work and extra bits. But they're on a salary- not a wage which Liam is on.

I've done the benefits calculator. We're non entitled to anything untill when the baby is born and thats only if Liam is working 24 hours + a week.

I know it can seem so hard and daunting, the money and impending birth!
My Hubs and I cannot afford a baby either, yet I am due in about 4ish weeks! His wage barely covers rent and food, but there's nothing that can be done.
I do hope things get better.

Thanks ladies for your support. Its not the first time on here I've ranted about this. I'm just so scared. I could try and relax and let be what will be- but how can I?

I've got a baby on the way, I NEED to know how it will work out. Mainly so I can prepare for the worst.

How many hours does he have left to do for his teacher training - does he have to do a set number of hours to get signed off as a teacher? (if you see what I mean)

It's really isn't fair is it - you try to do the best you can by going to uni/training as a teacher etc and it doesn't seem to do you any favours when you need a little extra help

xxx

Er, he basically has another 10 months. He's only been teaching for 2 months. I'm not sure if its based on hours really. I just thought after a years teaching- that would be it.

I know. The thing is he's paid £15 per hour (well, £19 but £4 per hour gets kept for some summer money which he needs for a new car as his is dying). And he works 22 hours a week. So effectively, he's getting paid what someone on average wage would get paid for 40 hours. His job is hard too. He teaches teenagers in college and they are so much hard work. He's shattered by the end of the day- plus he has meetings each week on top of this without pay etc etc.

He's worked so hard for this job. He's told me, he'll leave if he has to and get a 40 hour job but how can i let him do this when he worked hard at uni for 4 years and waited 4 years on top of that for this job? I just can't.

I know hun, and you're a good wife not wanting him to do that. But it may be that it comes down to doing that. How much family support are you getting at the moment? Will your mums be on hand for childcare? I'm just trying to think of ways where you could get enough saved up to keep you going for a few months after the baby so you didn't have to go straight back to work