To quit my job and claim benefits?

[username71]

I'm a single parent (just us 2 living here) with a 2 year old. Have worked part time (24 hrs) since he was 18 months.
I'm also 15.5 weeks pregnant.
I am currently doing a housekeeping job and I'm just hating every second, I leave drained, I dread work, I'm getting migraines etc, it's just making me quite miserable.

WIBU to just quit and claim benefits? I've worked enough to qualify for maternity pay for the government but that's not until 29 weeks and I don't know if I can cope with that! I've always wanted to work until my due date but with the nature of the job I don't think I could anyway.
The difference in money wouldn't be too much. Maybe £20 or £30 less.
Would I feel awful taking DS out of a nursery he loves though?

And also, would it look bad on me in a custody/child arrangement case?

I don’t think we can give good advice if we don’t know where you are.
Morally is a different thing, make a claim on the father/s make them pay their share. Being in benefits is not a life style choice.

User14 What? WHY are you victim blaming?? The OP isn't "Letting him not pay"

HE IS NOT PAYING.

His fault.

Whatever you do put yours and the baby’s health first

He won't even pay maintenance unfortunately as it stands (but says he'll be happy to if there's a court order!)
Is taking him to court an option you've investigated?

Yes, you would be unreasonable. So YABU.

Why are letting the father of your child not pay his share towards caring for his child? Why do so many woman allow that to happen?

Are you for real user148? Why are you blaming women for the actions of men. It's not mothers that allow it to happen, it's the fathers and the system. Most single mums receive nothing or very little because they don't have the power or the law behind them to make sure that fathers pay for their children. Sorry, but your comment is so ignorant and makes me so mad.

Why are you letting the father of your child not pay his share towards caring for his child? Why do so many women allow that to happen?!

Because in this country at least, the legal mechanisms that exist basically rely on the average Joe Bloggs not wanting contact with ‘the authorities’ and with him (or her) valuing their credit rating. If you couldn’t give a shit about either, you basically have no reason to pay maintenance. I’ve been waiting 10 years. The CMS is currently writing of £millions in unpaid maintenance because it acknowledges that it is unable to recover the money. Without considerable change in the law, backed by massive change in social attitudes, we stand no chance whatsoever of getting the mo eh our children are owed.

If we knew what country I'm fairly sure you'd get better advice. Both about the benefits and the maintenance.

It's probably best that you keep your job, or find another one.

Why are you letting the father of your child not pay his share towards caring for his child? Why do so many women allow that to happen?!

My children’s father doesn’t pay any maintenance and never has. He doesn’t work or claim benefits apparently not everyone CAN get maintenance believe it or not