what financial help could I get

[lelarose]

Hi there

Can anyone tell me what financial assistance I may be entitled to as a single parent? I have a mortgage and am really scared of losing my home but also of having to go back to work too soon after the birth. Plus then there is the whole, childcare issue as I have no family who would help out.

My job is not well paid anyway, it's part time so I also get about half my income by being self employed on a part time basis, but my second job is going to be very hard to do with a baby. Do you get any help if you own your own home?

So far all I know is I can get the £123 a week maternity pay but I can't live on this.

Any advice gratefully recieved.

Apart from maternity pay (which is 90% of normal pay for the first six weeks), you'll get about £80 a month in child benefit. If you have overpaid on income tax then you'll be able to claim some back. You could also save up your holiday and take it at the start of your maternity leave so you get paid for those weeks.

Talk to your mortgage company, some on them let you take a maternity holiday.

Once you go back to work, you'll still get child benefit. Depending on what you earn you may get family tax credits as well so you'll pay less tax and keep more pay.

In terms of childcare, ask your employer if they do childcare vouchers as a salary sacrifice scheme. This means you get vouchers instead of money but makes childcare much cheaper because you don't pay tax.

Buying most stuff you need secondhand is a good idea to.

What abut the dad? He has to contribute something too.

Thanks, yeah he will I just want to have all my options covered cos the whole thing's stressing me out.

That's really useful information, thank you I appreciate it a lot x