Where do I start........
I'm currently 22 weeks pregnant. I am employed and have been employed since September 2016. Before this job I had been out of work for over 10 yrs bringing up my children. I am currently off sick through anxiety and depression and receiving statutory sick pay of £88.45 a week. This started in Dec of last yr and my sick note is due to end on the 17th march. My partner has not got a job even though he is looking every day and he's not entitled to Jobseeker's Allowance as he has not paid enough national insurance contributions. My statutory sick pay and child tax credit, working tax credit and child benefit are our only income at the moment. When my sick note runs out on the 17th march my statutory sick pay will end as will my working tax credit I assume leaving us with just our child benefit and child tax to live on which is not enough. We have 4 children now expecting my 5th. Do I put in a claim for maternity allowance or income support? I do not think I will be entitled to maternity allowance as I do not think I have been employed long enough and don't think I have paid enough national insurance contributions. So I do not want to put in for this and wait weeks,some say they have waited months as we will end up on the streets as have no other income to live on,just to receive a letter to say I'm not entitled. Can I just put in for income support instead straight away as think this will be a better option for the borth of us? Been to see cab and their useless as is the benefits calculator. Giving me sleepless nights and not helping my mental health. Worried to death.
I'm currently 22 weeks pregnant. I am employed and have been employed since September 2016. Before this job I had been out of work for over 10 yrs bringing up my children. I am currently off sick through anxiety and depression and receiving statutory sick pay of £88.45 a week. This started in Dec of last yr and my sick note is due to end on the 17th march. My partner has not got a job even though he is looking every day and he's not entitled to Jobseeker's Allowance as he has not paid enough national insurance contributions. My statutory sick pay and child tax credit, working tax credit and child benefit are our only income at the moment. When my sick note runs out on the 17th march my statutory sick pay will end as will my working tax credit I assume leaving us with just our child benefit and child tax to live on which is not enough. We have 4 children now expecting my 5th. Do I put in a claim for maternity allowance or income support? I do not think I will be entitled to maternity allowance as I do not think I have been employed long enough and don't think I have paid enough national insurance contributions. So I do not want to put in for this and wait weeks,some say they have waited months as we will end up on the streets as have no other income to live on,just to receive a letter to say I'm not entitled. Can I just put in for income support instead straight away as think this will be a better option for the borth of us? Been to see cab and their useless as is the benefits calculator. Giving me sleepless nights and not helping my mental health. Worried to death.
