Benefits - NOT ENTITLED TO ANYTHING! :(

[mellylou88]

Ladies,

I am struggling with trying to keep stress levels down, just seen to be hitting an all time low.

I was working when I found out I was pregnant and let my employer know straight away (thinking this was the right thing to do) next day I had a doctors appt which work knew about but they left me a voicemail telling me not to bother going back - ironic after telling them I was preg!

I signed onto JSA straight away and even the job centre told me I didn't have a prayer in finding work again till baby arrives, spoke to my advisor once a month who reassured me that JSA would change to income support 11 weeks before due date, I filled in sure start grant and when I signed off JSA posted the grant off (stating I was waiting for income support claim to go through)

Rang income support to put my claim forward - they arranged an appt but the morning of the appt job centre rang me to tell me not to waste my time as I won't be entitled to anything at all all because my partner works and his income has to support hiself, me and baby (we don't even have our own place, due to me not working we have to live with my parents) this really upset me as I don't have an income at all now and bills to pay and OH and parents won't lend me a helping hand.

Sure start grant then came back saying I can't claim until baby is born due to not being able to claim any benefits.

I have been working since leaving school and now I need help I can't get any, I've sent off for maternity allowance as I did work for 26 weeks during test period but not getting my hopes up because everything else has fell apart.

It's not right for a pregnant woman to be put under all this stress and I'm worried this could lead to falling back into depression or even post natal depression... sorry about the essay just at my wits end!

 

[Tami]

We were in this situation too, it really sucks and adds a lot of pressure that's for sure!
My partner and I moved back to west yorkshire from the west midlands and struggled to find work at first, we were staying with my parents and paying them a token amount each month towards food, etc. We'd been on the council house list all this time but never heard from them!
Anyway we found out we were pregnant and had a bit of a panic for a month or so and then things started to fall into place for us. My partner found a job! He brings home about £800 a month before tax/NI but and meant that we could move out and be able to afford it if we budgeted well! We saved for the first months rent/deposit/admin fees and found a nice 2 bed house closer to where my partner works, which is great! We moved in on the first and are currently in the process of getting some LHA and council tax reduction, but like you I am not eligible to claim anything myself, and were both under 25 so my partner can't even claim working tax credits until after the baby, which would be a big help!
My partner is great about it though, rather than seeing our funds as individual we see it as a family pot sort of thing so if there is something one of us needs we buy it, simple as! It's a shame your OH wont help you, did he say why? It's a bit weird to me that you live together (albeit not in your own home, but still), are having a baby together, he knows you have no funds and wont help you, give him a kick up the bum, or better yet have a conversation about it, see what he says!

Have you tried running your details through a benefit calculator and see what you'd be entitled to that way? Then you could take that info to job centre and ask to see someone about it!
I didn't think I would be eligible for income support or anything either, but according to a calculator I did this morning I should be, which is weird because like I said my partner works, but maybe it's different once you get within 11 weeks of baby being born? No clue, but will ask!
Sure start grant, again we're the same, we have to wait until we can claim child tax credits and then apply for it quickly, which is a pain but maybe a blessing in disguise, it means that we can spend the money on any baby stuff we've probably forgotton after the birth, lol.

It might be worth giving the maternity allowance people a call and see if they can tell you anything about your application, or at least give you peace of mind and tell you you're eligible?

Chin up hun, it's hard now but worth it in the end!
Just wondering here, did you follow up with work firing you like that? I don't know anything about it, but it sounds like you were unfairly fired because you're pregnant, what reason did they give? Maybe something to follow up!

xx

 

[kellyrae]

once baby is born and registered put your claim in for child benefit and tax credits, you should be able to claim as a couple if other half is working, and of course once you are classed as recieving benefits you will be able to claim the sure start grant, but remember the sure start grant has to be claimed within so many weeks so it needs to be done rather quickly.....hope this helps a little xx

 

[mellylou88]

It's just going to be a tough couple of months for me not having any income - my OH see's his money as his own and no one elses, I have told him that if he doesn't help me out in times of need then I have no choice but for him to leave but how can I do that when his son will be here soon?

I am going to try and get all the claim forms filled out ready for when baby arrives so they can be sent off ASAP, I sent off for maternity allowance 2 weeks ago on thursday so if I don't hear anything this week then I will call them next week to chase them up.

I went to citizens advice about the whole work unfair dismissal and they agree that I could take them to a work tribunal but would have to pay legal fees (how do I do that without any income?) they said they needed someone reliable and because of time taken out of work for appointments etc I wouldn't be there as much as they needed - load of tosh really as when I first told them they said I was an asset to the team and wouldn't want me to leave?!

 

[Anderson8]

How long had you been working at that place? I'd check out the possibility that you had been unfairly dismissed. See your local citizens advice

 

[mellylou88]

I was there for nearly 3 months which would have been end of trial period, the ironic thing is the week before I found out I was pregnant they gave me a bottle of time and a special mention in the company newsletter for taking on the role very well and working hard to achieve monthly targets - was pretty much back stabbed this is why it was obvious that it was down to the pregnancy they let me go

 

[pipsbabybean]

Hope u don't mind me jumping in. Wen I had my dd I was made redundant early at about 16 weeks,
I did the jsa thing until I could claim my mat allowance, which was all fine, I was told I could claim income support after the mat allowance ran out, did the same as u ,
Rang up and they told me as hubby worked I'd get nothing, ,
I tried for the grant three times, third time lucky I got it after baby was born,
Keep trying Hun,
We get housing benefit also, could u try for that and then get ur own place

Also try entitledto.com

Good luck Hun

 

[familygirl30]

Your partner doesn't sound very supportive to u at all,I'm not working but my hubby is and he doesn't look at the money coming in as his money,its ours,I hope u get something sorted Hun x

 

[mellylou88]

I also went down to our local council to be added to the housing list - they even turned me away saying that my OH should pay for private rent and that other people who are homeless need houses more than we do?!

I was disgusted as basically they was saying that the only way to get a house is to be kicked out or be living on the streets, I find it disgusting that people who have worked most of their lives are punished when they need help and don't get it - as you can imagine the stress is beyond belief!

 

[jazzandru]

Are you sure you have to pay to take them to a tribunal? If you are on job seekers I don't think you would.

I don't understand the benefit system. Some people seem to get so much and others get nothing. I got pregnant with the plan of getting married next month. 2 of us sharing child care and bills. Now my fiance has left me and I have to try to make ends meet alone and I too cannot see how I will cope.

It sounds like you need to have a serious talk with your partner. If he wants a baby with you he needs to realise that he will have to contribute financially.

 

[mellylou88]

I think my OH wants to see if I can claim maternity allowance first before helping me out, which it shouldn't be like that at all I hope he soon realises that he needs to pull his finger out for his family, I feel awful asking him for money but what other choice do I have?

 

[mellylou88]

The best thing about the job centre was being told by an advisor that if you don't know how to play the benefit system then your fighting a losing battle - shot herself in the foot there if you ask me!

 

[Dani_Ldn]

What happened to you was most definitely unfair dismissal, pregnancy & maternity is a protected characteristic in the work place & as part of this your employer has to give you paid time off for antenatal appointments, it is against the law for them not to & to give you this reason for firing you makes them massively liable for unfair dismissal.

Did they fire you before or after your probation finished?

Def speak to someone about Maternity Allowance, take a look at gov.uk for the calculator to see if you are eligable. You still could be eligable even if you are no longer working - https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/overview

 

[mellylou88]

It was before, but when I told them they congratulated me told me I had nothing to worry about because I had settled and taking to the job well and when I asked them what happened maternity pay wise they said it would be fine if I was entitled to it with them then I could claim through job centre, that why it was such a shock the next day they didn't want me back, best thing was it was a voicemail, nothing in writing and just sent me my P45, at the time I didn't do anything about it, my head was a mess and was upset, but now I haven't got a penny going into my account made me realise I should of done something sooner - Lesson learnt thats for sure

 

[Dani_Ldn]

ps - Your OH needs to pull his finger out & stop acting like a baby himself. He was able to have sex with you & make you pregnant, this baby is half of him & his responsibility too. It should not be up to you to have to pay for everything, what a joke!

I am now on mat leave, hubby will be paying our rent, bills, groceries & all general outgoings while I am, the pittance I get from mat leave will be my money & hubby has not said anything about it once.

 

[mellylou88]

Yes I agree hun, he should see his income as a family income not just his.

If he doesn't realise this when baby arrives then I have no option but to split with him as I cannot support myself and baby on zilch!

 

[Anderson8]

Go to citizens advice. That's what they're there for. They can answer all your questions and set you on the right path

 

[kellyrae]

Only other thing I can suggest is to maybe try and apply for a crisis loan to keep you going until you have some sort of income, jobcenter don't usually tell you about them, you have o pay i back bu only once you have an income and its only a small amount weekly I think hun.

 

[Tami]

Do they still do crisis loans? I thought under the new system they didn't anymore, and instead they give out vouchers? Could be wrong though!

Even if you don't want to leave him hun you could always kick him out, although I know this wouldn't reflect well overall on the relationship , this would mean you'd be able to claim something I think? It's a sucky situation but he needs to realise you're serious!
xx

 

[MrsTurner2012]

Defo get to citizens advice... Ur OH sounds like a dick and should step up to the mark.