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Original poster

Boyfriend claiming and I'm pregnant

170 replies

nicoleginge · 01/12/2018 15:09

So I've moved in with my boyfriend and he's claiming Job Seekers Allowance and I've happily fallen pregnant.
He is looking for a job and he's really trying.
We are currently living with his parents and we both individually pay rent to them.
I do not support him money wise and we are now saving up for a baby.
I'm only on a 16 hour contract and Male about £130 a week.

How will this affect his JSA?
Because we have been told by some people that his would stop all together and we will have to live of £130 a week and save for a baby which is impossible.
It's really stressing me out.

About 2 years ago they took me to court for apparently frauding them. Which I didn't but because I didn't have enough evidence. Apparently a phone record and written evidence from the job center wasn't enough they still got me don't for it.

What do we do. We just want to have a happy life and get through this pregnancy without so much stress.

OP posts:
MiniMum97 · 01/12/2018 15:34

You do to declare that you are living as a couple but if whether his benefit is effected depended on whether he gets contribution based or income related JSA. If contribution based this won't be affected by your earnings.

I would suggest going to your local Citizens Advice and asking for a benefits check for now and for when you start maternity leave/baby arrives.

Hiphopopotamous · 01/12/2018 15:35

Did you not think about this before you got pregnant?
How are you going to afford to move out? Rent, bills, groceries, baby equipment, clothes, milk, activities, nappies? I can't see how you will manage at all. We both have jobs and have struggled this month with bills before payday.

Workreturner · 01/12/2018 15:36

You were found guilty of benefit fraud?

And nuke you are here posting this rather than being an adult asking asking hmrc to get clarity to avoid you being convicted. Again. This time with a baby.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Benefits Families
Caprisunorange · 01/12/2018 15:38

Well she wouldn’t ask hmrc would she? Great adulting advice there Hmm

dontalltalkatonce · 01/12/2018 15:38

He is currently committing fraud by not including you on his claim because he is living with you as a couple. He needs to inform the Job Centre. If he is in a UC area, this is a triggering event and both of you will need to make a new, joint claim for UC. You'll be at least 5 weeks with no money coming in because the taxpayers are getting fed up with paying for all these 'little miracles' and 'the doctor said I could never get pregnant' (unless you are missing vital reproductive organs or have undergone menopause or have been sterilised/both tube blocked somehow, you can become pregnant).

The new system means all your flimsy excuses for not working FT and supporting your kids won't wash.

You want to sit at home and play wifey then you need to fund it yourself somehow.

dontalltalkatonce · 01/12/2018 15:45

Did you not think about this before you got pregnant?

Of course not! Going to 'save for the baby' on £73/week and a 16-hour/week job.

Many councils are now UC. Triggering event, you get moved to UC, where he at least will be expected to work FT and the money coming in is nowhere near tax credits.

As for moving out, good luck finding a LL willing to take on a family on UC.

Maggiemlewis · 01/12/2018 15:47

Congratulations on being pregnant. Hopefully your partners' parents will be pleased to have a grandchild and will continue to help you. A baby usually brings lots of joy.
I hope your partner is able to get a job soon but it is hard in these times of austerity.

PinkHeart5914 · 01/12/2018 15:48

So you have no home of your own
He doesn’t work
You only work 16 hours

Now was not the time for a baby, why don’t people ever think before bringing a life in to the world??

Yes he needs to say his in a couple, universal credit probably awaits you at some point

VictoryOrValhalla · 01/12/2018 15:48

I wish I had a pound for everytime ive heard “I was told I couldn’t get pregnant, but ....” I’d be rich.

Caprisunorange · 01/12/2018 15:48

She’ll have to move out on her own, and be looking at housing association/ council. If she’s in a seriously improverished area this will probably be fairly easy (as will a private landlord to be fair- they’ll be used to uneployed tenants)

viques · 01/12/2018 15:48

Isn't saving for a baby when you are already pregnant like going to Thomas Cook and saying you will pay them for the holiday when you get home?

Caprisunorange · 01/12/2018 15:49

I do agree though, when people say they were told they couldn’t get pregnant I always do a little head tilt. A doctor can’t know that you can’t get pregnant unless you’re without ovaries or something, so I don’t see why they would say that

blackcat86 · 01/12/2018 15:51

Why are you saving for a baby if you're only earning £130p/w? Child benefit is £20 and maternity benefit is £145ish so you'll actually be better off for 9 months plus you may also get additional maternity pay from your employer? You should also be entitled to a grant for 'set up' costs for baby essentials. Your partner needs to put more effort into getting a job and you need to find more hours (with another employer if necessary). Why are you paying rent to his parents if you can't afford it? Obviously adults should contribute to the household but unfortunately because it's his family and I'm guessing that you don't have a tenancy agreement this won't be considered as an expensive for benefits purposes. Whilst you 'should' contribute it shouldn't be at the tax payers expense. Get your claim sorted jointly.

Abeautifulpeagreenboat · 01/12/2018 15:52

I hope your partner is able to get a job soon but it is hard in these times of austerity

Eh? Not as hard as it has been many times in the past.

dontalltalkatonce · 01/12/2018 15:53

I wish I had a pound for everytime ive heard “I was told I couldn’t get pregnant, but ....” I’d be rich.

Yep! Yet I have yet to meet a GYN consultant who would ever say that unequivocally unless there were vital organs missing, menopause/PMOF, extreme cases after IVF failure or sterilisation.

She’ll have to move out on her own, and be looking at housing association/ council. If she’s in a seriously improverished area this will probably be fairly easy (as will a private landlord to be fair- they’ll be used to uneployed tenants)

We live in one such area. Due to UC, it's no longer 'fairly easy' at all.

It's a shitstorm and I've no idea why anyone would 'fall pregnant' in this time when they have no means to support a child.

But there you go. What would you do? Well, he needs to tell the Job Centre or he is committing fraud.

lovetherisingsun · 01/12/2018 15:54

He needs to get his CV, go out, walk the town, walk the next town, and the next, hand over a CV to anyone and everyone asking. Etc. Some jobs are in shop windows, not just online. JObs such as being a carer are in high demand and (someone correct me if I'm wrong) often do on the job training without requiring previous experience etc, so is one of the easier jobs to get into as there is such a high demand.

Caprisunorange · 01/12/2018 15:54

What do you mean due to UC it’s no longer easy? UC makes no difference to housing associations taking on tenants

theworldistoosmall · 01/12/2018 15:57

As soon as you moved in, he should have reported the change of circumstances.
What happens beyond that depends on individual circumstances and if you are in a universal credit area or not.

Caprisunorange · 01/12/2018 15:58

lovetherisingsun To be honest maybe I’m being kind but I’m imagining OP somewhere like an ex mining town in the welsh valleys. There really are places where there are very few jobs. Some cities, like Dundee, have 40% ish unemployment

Rachelle3211 · 01/12/2018 15:58

I have endometriosis and have had surgery twice plus I'm 41 but we still use birth control because I don't want to get pregnant. I lost the only pregnancy I've ever had and it's not likely an infertile woman would get pregnant at 41 but I still use birth control. I've never heard of a gyn saying to someone they will absolutely not get pregnant. Of course there is always a chance however small that might be. I was given 5% odds, and 82% risk of miscarriage. I still use birth control.

dontalltalkatonce · 01/12/2018 16:00

What do you mean due to UC it’s no longer easy? UC makes no difference to housing associations taking on tenants

It means a lot of them wind up in arrears now, rates of rental arrears for HAs and councils are soaring, as are evictions for such. And plenty of councils and HAs are running lower and lower on housing stock due to the rising number of people being made homeless from private landlords, especially in impoverished councils, as people who were formerly able to rent from private LLs are no longer able to do so. UC has also made it extremely difficult to get private lets or for councils to access private landlords as they have done in the past.

theworldistoosmall · 01/12/2018 16:01

Universal credit has no relevance at all on social housing and people unable to get a property. The social housing issue is because there's not a lot of stock and huge waiting lists and this has been an issue far longer than universal credit was introduced.

TheBigBangRocks · 01/12/2018 16:01

People are having a go at me like I'm a child but I'm an adult

Most adults take responsibility for their choices rather than expecting everyone else to support them.

Having a child when barely working and a partner that has no job is foolish.

Babyroobs · 01/12/2018 16:01

If his JSA is contribution based then it isn't affected by your earnings. You both need to get better jobs to support your child.

AlaskanOilBaron · 01/12/2018 16:02

Surely this is a joke.

Surely.

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