Can I claim jobseekers allowance

[Mumoftwinsandasingleton]

I've never been on benefits before, but my maternity allowance runs out in May and I don't really have much of an income otherwise. To put my twins in nursery would cost over £3500. Thankfully my 3 year old can attend pre- school completely free, but the expense of the twins would leave us with less money. I was a teacher pre-3 year old, but set up a small tutoring company when she was 4 months old. This company is still running but I'm struggling to get customers for my employees. There are currently only 20 customers on the books and most wages are going to my employees and not to me. I know there's probably a lot of money I haven't claimed for my business, but I honestly have no idea what to claim if anything. What I want to know is if I'm even eligible to apply for benefits?
Extra information:
My husband earns £35k before taxes
My husband is currently paying for our mortgage and legal costs, and my maternity allowance pays for the food
I have personal savings of over £70k
Husband has savings of only £2k (he's not good at saving)
We never have any money leftover at the end of each month

Please let me know if I'm entitled to any benefits. I'm technically not seeking a job and only want to return once my twins are 3

70k in the bank and wants to claim benefits?! 😵

New style job seekers is not applicable in these circumstances, you need to be actively applying for jobs and it's only for the first 6 months after redundancy/contract ending. Uc would be possible but your high level of savings mean you are not eligible.

You protect your no by claiming child benefit so no issues there.

Could you get a well paid job? Or a less well paid one but use savings to subsidise the child care, there's government help on childcare starting in the autumn from 9 months I think.

You have £70k in the bank and want other people to subsidise your income? This has to be a joke? Use your savings to cover your bills.

Use all your savings to live on til they all go to school

Enjoy the next 4 years - it's what savings are FOR

🤣

I only have £70,000 left at the end of every month... I'm so poooooor and need benefits to help me.

I'm lucky if I have £70 left each month!

Not with over £70k of savings

Work on the business, you can’t claim anything for it but cut your costs where you can. if there aren’t enough go customers then reduce staff costs

The savings were to pay off my mortgage outright

Thanks. This is what I thought

I wanted a well paid job before, but I need more experience in the teaching field. I don't mind working when my husband is around, but he gets back really late (6pm) so ideally I'd start work at 7pm which I don't think exists

@Mumoftwinsandasingleton you want the tax payer to subsidise your income so you can pay off your house with your substantial savings? Can you see why that isn't being well received on this thread?

Hi everyone, I realise I come across as a bit odd in my post. My savings are to eventually pay my mortgage outright but will of course dip into them when needed. Just wanted to make sure I could keep the savings and still have an income

There's no way you should be eligible for benefits with those savings. Benefits are for those who need them, not for people who want to pay off their mortgage.

Well, we would all love to keep our savings to pay off our mortgage and have the taxpayer top us up instead. Unfortunately , this is not how it works!

Yes I see that. I'm sorry for coming across in this way. I didn't mean to. Is there a way I can delete this post?

But you wanted an income funded by other people whilst retaining your savings. That's what people are taking exception to.

You have 70k. There is your answer

I would like to keep more of my income to one day pay off my mortgage outright, at about 65. I don’t want to give it to you, in the form of my tax, so that you can use it to pay off your mortgage by the time you’re 30.

There is us on UC who can't get help with our mortgage other than a loan that you really don't want to get so it is an last resort and a slight extra you can earn. How insulting. How out of touch you are.

Out of interest, if the OP had overpaid her mortgage every month instead of building up savings would she now be eligible for benefits? I'm guessing she would?

Can't you claim some of nursery fees back? Universal credit I think isn't it

Most of us don't get to stay off work til our kids are three.....

firstly you’re married so you and you’re husband share that £72k

really weird attitude to be keeping that £70k to pay off mortgage, unless it’s interest only and ends soon. Why not use some of those savings to pay for a couple of days nursery for your twins for a few months so you can focus on getting your business to a more profitable level?

No, you’re expected to use your savings and rightly so. If you were to get job seekers allowance you’d have to actually look for jobs, attend job centre meetings and be prepared to take one if offered.
However, you should be eligible for the new childcare funding from September for over 9 month olds, and then the further funding from the following September for over 2 year olds. You should also be getting child benefit for both children, over £170 a month for both.

No she wouldn't especially with a mortgage. I am sure we can only earn up £2,500 before a zero award. They might be able to earn slightly more with childcare but I suspect not.