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Original poster

Benefits and savings limit what do I do

45 replies

Happybabys · 06/02/2024 20:23

Own my own very small one bed flat partner lives with us and surprise baby on the way. Partner works low income Newly self employed wage should go up as time goes on. I left my job just before Christmas due to illness with view to find a job suitable to my illness. I’ve now got hg badly so finding a job is impossible at the moment. I have some savings for us to get a bigger house but currently using them to live off. I’m not entitled to any benefits due to our joint savings. I’m going to have to move once baby needs its own room flat is way too small. I will have to sell my flat and live of the small amount of equity I have to rent somewhere bigger. Renting will be more expensive than what my mortgage would be. I feel like I’ve saved since my first job to get on the ladder all for nothing. We’ve looked at moving now but mortgage company want another year of business earnings. Was told I was infertile had planned on buying a bigger house and then looking at ivf in the future. Feel very blessed to be pregnant but also at a loss.

OP posts:
twnety · 06/02/2024 20:28

I don't know, but that all sounds shit. Obviously if you have savings you should use them to live on, but then it's just makes it shit that if you hadn't scrimped and saved you'd be eligible for some benefits

twnety · 06/02/2024 20:29

But, the baby won't need a room before 6 months. And you could move in to your front room and that may last you a couple of years?

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 06/02/2024 20:30

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I can't offer any advice on the financial but just want to let you know I was only in a 1 bedroom flat when I had my first baby and we didn't move until he was 1.5 so you do have some time to manage in there for now. In fact, I loved being in such a small space with my baby, I didn't need a baby monitor i only had to stick my head in the next room, no running up and down stairs. If I was in kitchen or bathroom and he started crying I didn't have far to go to get to him. I have really really fond memories of being in that little flat with him. Hope someone comes along with good advice re savings & sales etc.

GoingUpUpUp · 06/02/2024 20:31

I absolutely wouldn’t sell and rent.

You'd be surprised at how you can adapt. We had hooks high on the wall to hold the folded buggy, bedroom rearranged to squeeze in a cot and our bed and not much else.

TheChosenTwo · 06/02/2024 20:33

4 of us lived in our 1 bedroom flat until the youngest was 3! We had bought it pre kids with a view to doing it up and moving in. We moved in just after the youngest was born.
All worked out fine, not ideal at some points but we managed just fine. It was a tiny flat so we went out every day pretty much!
Don’t make any rash decisions, you have time to wait it out or just spend a bit more time thinking on it.

Pacifybull · 06/02/2024 20:36

A baby doesn’t need its own room. Nor does a toddler or young child. I have a friend who lives with his wife and five-year-old in a studio flat.

Singleandproud · 06/02/2024 20:40

You won't need to move for ages. You can wait until DC is in a proper bed so around 3, share a room or even justget a good quality sofa bed/futon in the living room and give DC their own room and you can stay there longer.

Renting would be daft, people live in all sorts of configurations. Have baby, enjoy mat leave, go back to work and then look at upsizing.

Sunshineandrainbow · 06/02/2024 20:41

Stay put, me and dd shared a room until she was 12 and then I moved. To the lounge and she had the bedroom.

You just have to do what you have to to manage.

ChangeAgain2 · 06/02/2024 20:41

Congratulations on your pregnancy. Apply for maternity allowance as soon as you can. Don't sell your house or move for now. Your baby doesn't need its own space. Try to get a job as soon as your feeling well enough and in the meantime cut all subscriptions.

mitogoshi · 06/02/2024 20:48

Babies and small children don't need their own room, never used to, its a modern western thing. Stay put, get yourself back to work when you can and plan to move before applying to primary school

Singleandproud · 06/02/2024 20:57

You can even get bunks with a double bed underneath if you have to share longer than you'd like. You might just have to get creative when you want to be intimate. So lots of options for you to consider this really isn't something you need to stress about right now.

Chestnutsroastgreen · 06/02/2024 21:07

Congranulations.
my first child shared our bedroom until they were 16myhs old.
that sort of time room sharing will you time to get a new job, and with 2 incomes and a property to sell hopefully you can get a new mortgage on a 2 bed.

KinKenKon · 06/02/2024 21:20

Congratulations on your baby.
Just stay in the 1 bed flat and keep baby in your room until they are over 1, lots of people live in small flats with babies.

You can look to move in the future once you've been able to get another job.

imtryingtoleave · 06/02/2024 21:29

yep agree dont sell up you will never get on the ladder again if you rent and use savings to live off

do you mind if i ask you what amount of joint savings you have

Original poster
Happybabys · 06/02/2024 21:53

Just under 20k in savings but there was a little more there dwindling with me being so unwell and not working. My partners income just dosnt quite cover everything. The job centre have said I’m not entitled to anything except job seekers but I can’t actively look as I’m so sick ever day all day have been in hospital on a drip as well. My partner has thought about leaving his job but he’s worked so hard and it’s finally paying off financially in the future we will be earning more than both our incomes previously. I’ve cut right back on everything we aren’t big spenders before hand either.

OP posts:
TwylaSands · 06/02/2024 22:00

Chestnutsroastgreen · 06/02/2024 21:07

Congranulations.
my first child shared our bedroom until they were 16myhs old.
that sort of time room sharing will you time to get a new job, and with 2 incomes and a property to sell hopefully you can get a new mortgage on a 2 bed.

This. You dont need to move now. Stay where you are and manage until your partner's business is earning enough. I dont see the hurry, especially when you will make yourself significantly worse off.
and if in twelve months he is still earning minimum wage, he needs to get a job.

how long have you been together?

BarbieDangerous · 06/02/2024 22:00

I agree with the majority of comments. You’ll be fine in a one bedroom with the baby

KnickerlessParsons · 06/02/2024 22:02

Why is your partner on a low in

KnickerlessParsons · 06/02/2024 22:02

Income? Can he increase his earnings?

DragonFly98 · 06/02/2024 22:05

You are really overthinking this. You have at least five to six years before you will need a bigger place.

imtryingtoleave · 06/02/2024 22:24

ok do you have any debts,do you need new furniture for the flat,do you or your partner drive??

Pacifybull · 06/02/2024 22:35

imtryingtoleave · 06/02/2024 22:24

ok do you have any debts,do you need new furniture for the flat,do you or your partner drive??

How’s that going to help?

Singleandproud · 06/02/2024 22:38

@Pacifybull well if there are loans that can be overpaid, carpets or furniture that need to be brought but OP is making do then spending the savings on these will bring her inline with being able to claim for UC is what I assume @imtryingtoleave is getting at.

imtryingtoleave · 06/02/2024 23:00

Singleandproud correct op you could spend some savings taking them under 16k and you would be entitled to UC and you are allowed to spend some regarding debts etc

you would have some money taken of UC of savings on a sliding scale 6k-16k but it would mean your income would be better on UC than not op

PaperDoIIs · 06/02/2024 23:12

Happybabys · 06/02/2024 21:53

Just under 20k in savings but there was a little more there dwindling with me being so unwell and not working. My partners income just dosnt quite cover everything. The job centre have said I’m not entitled to anything except job seekers but I can’t actively look as I’m so sick ever day all day have been in hospital on a drip as well. My partner has thought about leaving his job but he’s worked so hard and it’s finally paying off financially in the future we will be earning more than both our incomes previously. I’ve cut right back on everything we aren’t big spenders before hand either.

How small is small? Can you get creative with furniture? If you can fit a toddler bed in then you get at least 4/5 years in the one bedroom flat. Or make the livingroom your bedroom. That gives you a few years to get back on your feet, for you partner to earn more, you to hopefully find a job suitable to your needs and then reassess.