any one help with what benefits im entitled to while on maternity allowance

[shaunna]

Hi im 24 weeks pregnant and will be going on maternity leave soon, im self employed so i know ill get maternity allowance. my question is will i be able to get housing benefit once i start my maternity??? im looking to get a house and have a veiwing in the next few weeks. im first on the list for the house so i know it will be mine. Ill only be getting £128 on maternity allowance per week and the rent on the house is £85 a week. surely they cant expect me to pay all of the rent and only have so little to pay for food, gas, eletric etc. Im just wondering if any has been in the same situation and could give me any advice on any benefits i could claim. iv also been told i could get working tax credit, any advice would be great thanks

 

[foxeeylady]

Hi Hun,

Im in the same boat I need help boat I will go on mat leave October and only get same mat pay as you and my rent is £500 per month and council tax is £80 Im single recently split from partner so Im in this shit big time now, I rang turn to us yesterday and they said I would get about £150 per week tax credits/working tax credits and also I would have to contact my housing direct to see if I can get help claiming housing benefit while im on mat leave xx

 

[pandaspot]

You can definetly claim housing and council tax benefit. You could also claim when you are self employed have a look on here for an estimate of what you can get www.entitledto.co.uk

If you need any more advice let me know as I am a housing and council tax benefit assessor

 

[shaunna]

hi i spoke to turn to us to an they told me what benefits i will be entitled to when i have my baby but nothing really when i im maternity allowance. i have just recently moved in to my house and for now i have to pay full rent but i get sindle person discount on my council tax which helps. i did ring up the council tax number and they told me to inform them when i go on maternity so my council tax will be reduced further which is good news. also my housing officer told me when i apply for housing benefit which i already have done even tho it says i dont qualify for anything now, because i have made a claim now once i get maternity allowance i just have to send proof of maternity allowance to the council and they will sort it all out for me reguarding my rent, i hope this has helped a little, just give your local housing council a ring and see what they can do for you

 

[shaunna]

hi thanks for you advice i have received a little more help well advice. i have been told i cant get any help with rent while working and i may be able to get some help with rent when claiming maternity allowance . its all confusing to me abit as i have never claimed any benefit before and some people i have sspoke to have not been very helpful which has kinda left me feeling abit lost. i have applied for housing benefit but on the form online it says i dont qualify for it but im going to be sending it off any way with proof of maternity allwance pay and proof of pregnancy plus a copy of my accontants report of my income so they know what my income is now. do you know how much housing benefit i would receive when claiming maternity allowance, i will only be getting £128 and my rent is £85 a week and ill have pay council tax on top of that so would leave me next to nothing to pay my other bills

 

[My_First]

I don't know the ins and outs but I would have thought it would be based on your salaried/self employed income as opposed to your maternity allowance income, otherwise we could all claim it when we go on maternity leave as there is such a substantial drop. Could you not work for as long as possible so you could get some more income for now, and then work your 10 keep in touch days for a bit of an income boost. Remember you will also get 80 odd a week child benefit.

I'm not sure how working tax credits work as I don't qualify but I think your best bet is to chat to job centre or citizens advice. Good luck!