Single mum advice / benefits

[Jess55]

Hi all need some advice please! Recently found out I am pregnant and also just lost my job brilliant timing!. I have been given redundancy so that has helped clear my debts and left few thousand il save but I still live at home. The father will not be involved in anyway as he lives abroad and can't help financially at all. I'd rather do this on my own than never at all i am 32 but what I am now worried about is finances. I have never claimed a benefit in my life so no idea what help I may get. I'm due to leave my job in Nov and baby is due March so I'd struggle to get another job I think due to it being obvious I was pregnant. I have been onto few sites but find them all a bit confusing as to what I could claim for? I would stay at my mums for few months then hope to move out if I could afford too then I'd want to work again. This is really stressing me out now as not having any income or help from the father I just worry if I can do it. Any advice or information on what I'm likely to get I'd appreciate it so much thank you x

[Diamogs]

IIRC nothing til the baby is born, then you can claim Child Benefit and Child Tax Credits.

There used to be a Sure Start grant of £500 but not sure if that is still a thing.

Oh and free prescriptions for you and baby.

[Jess55]

Ok thank you I know child benefit is £20 a week what roughly is child tax credit roughly?

[Diamogs]

The TC system is really complicated as it depends on how many children you have / how many hours you work - you get more if you work but this tapers off the closer to £26k you get.

Assuming you are not working its £3330 a year with one child and no other income.

[Jess55]

Hi no I won't be as I've been made redundant I would go back to work after few months as I don't want to not be working. It does seem very complicated why it's really stressing me out :(