Pregnant, sad and need advice :(

[Piehouse]

Hi, please can anyone help or provide advice in my situation (UK based). I'm currently 5 months pregnant in a poorly paid job, renting with my partner (unmarried). For reasons I won't go into, the relationship is unbareable, I am crying and stressed constantly and feel I would be better off and more at peace alone. I have no family I can live with. I have savings for a deposit for a house, however my concern is a) on my poor salary I don't have the affordability for a mortgage alone and b) on maternity pay I wouldn't have the income to pay a mortgage alone or survive financially with a baby. I am aware there are benefits for help with housing etc for single parents, however I imagine this isn't available if you have savings over a certain amount, but I have no clue what help is available or how savings affect this. I feel I want to be clued up on all my options ASAP as this relationship is becoming worse by the day, I'm so sad :( xx

Hey lovely. So sorry you're in this position. You need to do what's best for you and your baby, there's lots of help out there to tie you over until little one can go into childcare before you go back to work (if you wish as not everyone wants to use childcare) I think the savings amount is over £6,000. If you go on "entitledto" it will help you with what you are entitled too and point you in the direction for how to claim certain things. I know it's mega hard having no family to turn too I can relate. Have a plan in place and just go with the flow. As long as you and baby are happy and healthy that's all that matters xx

Savings, anything over £6000 will impact UC. But that doesn't mean you won't get anything. I know you don't want to go into details, so I'm just throwing this out there incase it's relevant to you. If there was any domestic violence then you could apply to the council. If it was me, I'd make an appointment withnyour local CAB for advice and benefit check. I'd probably also apply to council for housing regardless. Hope your OK

Thankyou so much for your advice everyone. Do you know if I bought a house whether you can get help towards paying your mortgage or do you only get help if you rent? Do you know where I can find out more on this topic please. I have over 6k savings but the problem is a) I don't think I can afford anywhere on my own or b) I don't think I can afford the full mortgage on maternity either. This situation is making me feel so trapped :(

There is some support to pay interest on the mortgage (smi) but otherwise no, you only really get help to pay rent. Try one of the online benefit calculators to see what you might be entitled to (entitled to.co.uk), maybe have a chat with citizens advice also. 6k will impact benefits but not rule you out, good luck x

I'd highly recommend using entitledto.co.uk it came in really useful for me to work out different wages etc when looking for work.
Regards to UC, any savings over 16,000 means you cannot claim. Between £6,000 and £16,000 they will deduct a set amount from your monthly payment. If you put your savings amount in the benefit calculator it tells you how much. If your savings go under 6k you must let them know. I found out by experience they don't automatically stop the reductions and you have to show you haven't been reckless with the money.
Also speaking from experience- I know, I really know it'll be hard but please leave him. Your partner should not make you feel like this, you don't have to tell me the reason but I promise you bringing a baby into this will make it so much worse. You and the child deserve to be happy.