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Original poster

OH lost his job today what can we do now?

168 replies

MrsHunterx · 17/08/2018 14:58

I feel so gutted for him even though he says he's not to bothered. He's only been there for four weeks he took yesterday of to take me to the hospital because I was bleeding (36 weeks pregnant) and this morning they have sacked him.

We have about £6000 in savings and 300 in our current account I feel silly saying things are tight but our savings have never been so low.

Are we entitled to any benefits because we have savings? He wants to hold of getting another job until dd is here so he can spend time with her.

Any advice would be appreciated x

OP posts:
PrtScn · 17/08/2018 16:12
  1. Make a budget and stick to it. Cancel/reduce everything that you can. See if you can get better deals on things like internet or mobile phone contracts etc. Making specific weekly meal plans will help you with a food budget.
  2. Make an appointment with the Job Cener to see if he can get JSA
  3. Get him to start looking for jobs now. He's very unlikely to get anything straight away, so may well finds he gets his time off with the new baby anyway. If he gets offered something very close to due date, he can always negotiate to start in a couple of weeks time, rather than asap. The employer might prefer for him to start at the beginning of a month rather than in the middle anyway.
TornFromTheInside · 17/08/2018 16:13

He's lost his job TODAY, and she's 36 weeks pregnant.
Should he start panicking and adding stress? no. He's playing it down.

Indulging his whims?

But then I believe that the benefits system is there to support genuine need. Not entitled twats.
Horrifically presumptuous of you that. She's trying to understand what her position is - that is all.

TittyGolightly · 17/08/2018 16:14

For the umpteenth time, OP, WHAT WAS THE REASON GIVEN FOR DISMISSAL?!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

3rd trimester General pregnancy
Alicatz66 · 17/08/2018 16:14

I would seriously doubt a company like that would sack someone for taking one day off for the reason specified

ADastardlyThing · 17/08/2018 16:15

Fully admit I'm being judgemental of the grown up who left a job so close to the due date (I understand how a job can get you down, but surely this happening is worse than sticking input for a couple more months) isnt arsed he was sacked, isn't arsed he has no job to go to, thinks it's fine to just get benefits to allow him to spend time at home, and hold off looking for work when he could look now just to get the ball rolling and start supporting his family again.

And yes, that's just the info op has revealed!

arranfan · 17/08/2018 16:16

MrsHunterx - If it's dinners, there are lots of recipes, ideas, suggestions, and different budgets catered for in Mumsnet's Food and Drink Recipe section

Pick the ones that will work for you and rotate them - it can make so much simpler for a while and you've a lot on your plate.

Original poster
MrsHunterx · 17/08/2018 16:16

Off course he is bothered he has done 3 weeks intense training and four weeks working there properly.
He's been getting up half 3 every morning driving over 30 miles there and back.

He's not lazy he's never mentioned benefits as an option im the one that has started to look into it.

@ClosdesMouches They haven't gave him one that's the thing they just said we won't be needing your services anymore.

OP posts:
ADastardlyThing · 17/08/2018 16:17

Input = around

Original poster
MrsHunterx · 17/08/2018 16:18

@ADastardlyThing you've got it all completely wrong you seem very judgemental.

OP posts:
TittyGolightly · 17/08/2018 16:18

they just said we won't be needing your services anymore

Nothing illegal in that on the face of it.

theunsure · 17/08/2018 16:18

OP- you said he isn’t bothered in your first post. Is he or isn’t he?

QueJamones · 17/08/2018 16:20

He really should speak to ACAS about this - he may have a discrimination claim as he has been sacked in relation to a pregnancy - can't think of the right wording now but it's something like 'by association' - but I may be utterly wrong so speak to ACAS. They might reinstate him... and he can look for another job from there...

JiltedJohnsJulie · 17/08/2018 16:20

I think you’ve had some very good advice already OP. Definitely try to reduce your energy bills, and any other incomes, like mobiles or sky. We’ve just saved £100 a month by switching phone & broadband and energy suppliers.

Get DH to sign on straightaway and to keep looking for jobs. Job searching is a job in itself and he isn’t going to get much time to relax.

Yes, definitely stop eating out. Do a meal plan and stick to it. There are some good cheap meal plans in the MN archive and the MN Credit Crunch Section is very good.

Once the baby is here, I’d be looking for a job too. I think you need to make sure you have a secure income and DH doesn’t seem to be able to provide that yet.

What was the outcome of the Hospital visit yesterday OP?

NewUserNameTime · 17/08/2018 16:20

I think he should start looking for a job straight away. As with a recruitment period and potential training it may be several weeks before a new employer would get him to start.

Try websites such as BBC food or the Hairy Bikers cookbook for meal planning ideas. Eating our several times a week will be very expensive

Good luck to you both Thanks

TornFromTheInside · 17/08/2018 16:21

You've chosen to take the worse interpretation - despite her saying that's not his character at all.

People say 'I'm not bothered' to minimise things. It doesn't mean they actually mean that. She's due soon - he's playing all calm.
So say 'he isn't arsed he has no job to go to' is adding far more than has actually been said.
Nobody's said it's 'fine to just get benefits' - but the lady's trying to ascertain where they stand currently.

You're making a whole bunch of assumptions, far greater than those based on what's been said. You've extrapolated some points to make them fit your assumptions of him being a good for nothing benefits scrounger. It's appalling.

LeftRightCentre · 17/08/2018 16:23

You refuse to believe having savings don't reduce the amount of UC you get, Emma? Okay. Hmm She said they have 'about £6k in savings and another £300 in a current account and another £2000 coming in from a car crash. That's over £6k and therefore reduces what you can get in benefits.

It's actually a good thing they do have some since UC doesn't pay out for 5 weeks (used to be 6, but the Tories in a magnanimous gesture reduced it).

But at any rate this guy needs to get some work. Even if it's a couple of weeks.

And of course, the meals out need to stop.

ADastardlyThing · 17/08/2018 16:23

I've agreed I am op, for the reasons given, the fact that it's you that has mentioned the benefits doesn't make him look any better imo. He's got responsibilities and if he's not mentioned benefits how exactly does he suggest you all get by? What ideas has he come up to support you all?

But it is just my opinion, and I know it's harsh, but frankly I have no problem judging flakiness when it comes to (not) supporting your family.

Original poster
MrsHunterx · 17/08/2018 16:23

He's said to me he's not "bothered anyway" but I know he is he doesn't know what to do with him self and has took ds out.

Thanks everyone that has gave useful information anyway I will be taking it onboard.

OP posts:
TittyGolightly · 17/08/2018 16:24

He really should speak to ACAS about this - he may have a discrimination claim as he has been sacked in relation to a pregnancy - can't think of the right wording now but it's something like 'by association'

Would be amazed if there was anything other than instinct that links the dismissal with the pregnancy.

but I may be utterly wrong

If only here were people qualified in employment law on this thread.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 17/08/2018 16:25

Oh and you can apply for Univeral Credit here.

It says that if you’re successful, you should get your first payment in around 5 weeks, I think in reality though it can be longer.

Another thing to do is to see if your water conpany can reduce your bill. I know Severn Trent will reduce bills for some people, just not sure about other areas.

ClosdesMouches · 17/08/2018 16:26

Thanks OP. I had wondered whether he'd just taken time yesterday to go to the hospital without letting them know. They're of course within their rights to say what they said as he was in a probationary period, but of course that means that you can only speculate as to the actual reason.

BasiliskStare · 17/08/2018 16:26

One thing I would say is as a pp has said - August can be a very fallow time for job hunting. I would say best to start now and new start date may very well not be until after the baby. If it is before , he will have to decide and discuss with them. But I am not familiar with his job / industry. I suspect job hunting when you have a bit of a buffer will be greatly less stressful than when the buffer diminishes.

Guienne · 17/08/2018 16:27

If they dismissed your husband purely because he took time off yesterday to support you, they may be in breach of the Equality Act as it is indirect discrimination on the grounds of your pregnancy. It's not up to him to prove they discriminated, it's up to them to disprove it. It might be worth contacting Citizens' Advice about that.

TittyGolightly · 17/08/2018 16:27

They're of course within their rights to say what they said as he was in a probationary period

Probation is a red herring. It can confer contractual rights on an employee, but the law doesn’t until 24 months have passed.

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 17/08/2018 16:27

OP said that he wasn’t enjoying the job. So it’s not that big a leap to assume that perhaps he wasn’t that committed to it and had other time off. In a probationary period, I can see how that would ri g alarm bells.

So, there is currently 6000 in savings, plus possibly another 2000 shortly. There must be rent to pay, as well as gas and electricity. What about water rates, TV licence, broadband, phones, transport, food etc, etc. Even if the rent is low, everything else soon adds up.

I wonder, if he had t lost his job, would you have planned to have several meals out each week still?

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