I'm about to give birth and were going to lose our home

[Worriedmumof2dc]

DP has just been informed that his hours are being hugely reduced at work. He's on a 30 hour contract but has been working 55 hours a week for the past two years since he was hired. The understanding was that the 55 hours would be standard and consistent, so not to worry about what the contract says as he will always have the 55 hours. The company is a disgrace in how it treats its employees but that's another thread.

This company branch has a new manager who has now decided to reduce him to just his contracted hours to save money, he's forced to accept that as per the terms in the original contract.

The problem is his amended wage won't cover our outgoings. We will lose our home eventually, we are safe for another month and a half maximum by which point we will have a baby of a couple of weeks old. I'm at home with a 15 month old and am about to give birth to our second in less than a month so the timing couldn't be worse. I can't realistically go back to work yet and by the time I can, we'll owe the landlord alot of money in arrears.

My hands are tied as to what I can do to help, I feel useless. We have no savings and no family help. I'm worried we will lose our home. It's inevitable isn't it.

He's applying like a mad man for every job he can find, but we're worried.

I can't claim benefits because he works and even with the amended wage will earn over the threshold in which we'd be eligible for anything, despite the lower wage not being enough to cover the costs of living in our London flat.

We have no savings

Please somebody tell me that we can't be made homeless with a newborn and toddler. I'm scared.

@Worriedmumof2dc

The system obviously doesn't work like people are saying! 1 in 4 people living in London are living below the poverty line, heard this on radio 4 this morning.

Universal credit is when your completely screwed, like single parent with two kids under 5, one disabled ect.

Houseing benefit and council tax benefit will not be given to this op.

There is a benefit freeze. Whatever the calculators tell you you are not entitled to anything other then child tax and child benefit, potentially working tax.

To apply for income support ect you have to be looking for work, honestly just google universal credit in london

And sorry but 40 hours even on minimum wage does not qualify as a 'low income'

However wrong that is in the context of London its just what it it

Also your child tax will pretty much double as soon as you have your baby @Worriedmumof2dc

Just notify them after the birth

@ChampooPapi I'm not sure that's true. I earn a good salary in London and we still get UC as it comprises a few different benefits rolled into one (our rent is similar amount and we only have one DC). That said I can't speak for tax credits as have never claimed those, so maybe you get more with those?

I bring home £2k pm, rent is £1100, one DC under 5, no disabilities, one sahp. We get beat £600pm UC. But good point about the 5 week wait.

*nearly not beat!

@snarfblatt yes you are receiving less as you'd get more on tax credits I'm afraid.

@snarfblatt are you a single parent? that sounds like if you were on tax credits you'd get more like 800 pounds as it would be working tax and child tax plus child benefit

I really do know what i'm talking about here. In some ways, no offence op, but this is kind of a non problem problem. Her husband is being offered 40 hours plus overtime, do you really think that there are benefits for these people everyone?!

Our system would not support this otherwise everyone would be on benefits.
Their cut off is very strict and universal credit is not the way to go, to be honest why would you when the system is not even fully rolled out and you've got thew golden ticket of being on tax credits so being able to stay on them until it is rolled out in your area (if it ever is!) in like 2022 or something

Op is having another baby, thank god its not a third as there is a 2 child limit now to tax credits. She will receive almost double once the baby is born, her child benefit will go up to 130 pounds roughly a month and her partner has a full time job with potential overtime.

Its fine.
Its not rich. Its not great as london rents are ridiculous but shes not loosing her home, shes not a single parent. Her child doesn't have disabilities, she is fit and well

Count your blessings i'd say, it could be worse (like if you apply for universal credit and end up with less money then you even get now!)

@ChampooPapi no, I'm married and my partner is the sahp. I didn't include child benefit in that figure actually. But have ways wondered if we'd get more with tax credits! We've only been claiming the last two years and it was only because I randomly checked one of the calculators I realised we could claim at all. We're in a full UC area so no tax credit option available. I feel very grateful and lucky (and guilty but it's the difference between having no money left after bills and having a bit!) but while it has been really good for us I wouldn't wish dealing with the system on anyone! So perhaps good advice to stay on tax credits rather than risk UC?

Also she is not going to 'loose her home' as the thread title reads. Worse case scenario of her husband loosing his job would be going on full benefits which would then pay two thirds of the rent, he would also get job seekers while he looks for work and as there is no rent arrears then it would take a while for that to happen.

I see this is hard for her but when you see people day in day out who use foodbanks, who have literally lost everything. It makes me wonder this is even real when all she has to do is phone hmrc and update, or her husband needs to negotiate with his salary/hours.

Most people are better off actually working less hours anyway on tax credits and they pay less tax also so it could actually be a good thing if you understand the system

And as for the CAB. Good luck with that! you have to line up first thing in the morning with some truly desperate people for hours to even see if you can get an appointment.

Just ring HMRC when his hours are set and tell child benefit and tax credits when the baby is born.

I await an update in a month where the op is like 'wow im actually fine as my tax credits have doubled and my partner is home more plus still has a income and a job to support us'

Its fine basically

@snarfblatt sorry yes I see you put that in your original post. I mean 600 divided between three people with that rent is definitely not much, but with one child thats the most you can get and kudos for applying as many people don't realise what they are entitled to.

However those calculators ALWAYS say you are better off on universal credit when about half the people who apply and nearly all the people who apply who are on tax credits will not be.

Anyway Tax credits always tell you not to apply for UC if your only updating because of working hours or having another child, they would keenly advise those people absolutely not to go down the UC route

And oh my god the paper work you'd have to submit for a new claim for Universal credit! Tax credits= one phone call

Universal credits= bank statements, child birth certificates (even for the one wqho is yet to be born so add on the weeks in getting that and then posting it).... the list will be endless it would take I would hazard a guess nearly 3 months to receive and she'd end up with less, and during that time all tax credits would stop

Then she really might loose her house

Two mentaly and physically healthy adults.
One with a full time job.
The other about to give birth - can go back to work when the baby is a bit older.

Hardly destitute!

@BlueSkiesLies it really got me a little too , hence the long posts!

With respect though it's relative - I know how it feels to have a major change of circumstances when about to give birth and it does feel like the end of the world at first! And while the situation isn't 'destitute', living on a consistently tight budget for years on end is very draining, and any change can seem very daunting. The op seems much calmer after the initial shock but as is often said on here, it's not a race to the bottom!

(and by tight I mean no money for treats, clothes, haircuts, worrying how you'll pay if something breaks, running out of money for food... all of these things happen regularly when your outgoings almost equal your income! Not destitute but still not pleasant and can be very stressful!)

For the love of God ChampooPapi won't you just STFU, you haven't got a clue what the hell you're talking about.

OP please ignore the nonsense. Use the online benefit calculators that PPs have recommended and if in doubt visit or contact Citizens Advice.

Fucking hell. Champoo is in absolute cloud cuckoo land. I will report their posts as so much misinfornation it is hard to know where to begin. Plus I'm busy at work and don't have time for crazies today!

And for anyone reading, ignore absolutely everything champoo is spouting.

AnotherEmma why would you think retail workers wouldn't be in a union? There is a union specificly for retail workers. I think it's Usdaw.

Yes Usdaw
Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers.

bookmum08
Oh I'm not surprised there is a union, just surprised that he is a member, because none of the low-paid retail workers I've ever come across (at work) has been a union member - but perhaps that's because they get advice from their union instead!
I'd be interested to know what percentage of retail workers are members of the union; i expect it's low.
Anyway it's a bit of a derail so I'll shut up now!

@ChampooPapi

You get advance payments on UC whilst waiting for your claim to be sorted , so no way would she wait three months don’t know where your getting your info

@ChampooPapi

And it’s also applied for online quite quick and simple so you don’t post anything ?

Really quick calculations (in the hope of being helpful) slows his wage is under national minimum wage (pre tax/NI it works out approximately £12,300 which £7.88 per hour).

Ask his union if this is right.

Also, you should be entitled to UC OR child tax credits and housing benefits. Give them a call to start a claim ASAP. I hope this help, good luck.