Benefits & a mortgage

[LanaJH3393]

Hi everyone

Would just like a bit of advice as i cannot find it online, I currently have a mortgage (very early days) and I am due to return to work (4 months early) from maternity leave as i am stuggling to pay my way - however going back to work will only give me and xtra £20 a week and im on minimum wage and have to work at least 24 hours a week to get the same amount that i get for SMP

Anyway, would i be able to claim any kind of benefits to help me out a bit? Even if i went to 16 hours a week - would any kind of claim affect my mortgage (i already get child benefit) but when i have looked before it says i can only claim certain things if i am claiming something else or living on my own ... i currently live with my partner and 2 children and his entire wage goes on the mortgage and dont want anything to jepordise it...do you think this is possible? Thanks in advance

Any benefits you can claim will be based on your household income - what is your partner's salary before tax?

You can claim child tax credits and working tax credits if your household income is low enough ( unlikely with 2 wages coming in ). Are you paying for childcare too ? Any help you get is completely dependent on household income.

And your mortgage provider doesn't need to know that you are claiming any benefits, there is no obligation to let them know.

As far as i know, my partner earns around 1300 before tax a month and i will be getting average around 8500

You have a shared mortgage? It's your incomes together that will be looked at in any case..

Yes a shared mortgage with both our names i can check that up on the gov website if im entitled but just disnt know if it would affect the mortgage i.e if they say im not capable of paying it if im on benefits x

You should contact tax credits and ask for a pack to be sent to you, do this immediately as it will take two to three weeks for the pack to arrive.

Enter all the details on the form - they can check how much you are earning etc through tax office, so get your do exact income from his P60

Check on entitledto website to see what you are likely to receive and ask for this to be paid weekly ( never monthly) into your bank account.

Benefits / tax credits won't affect your current mortgage - you aren't required to declare them. However, if you're in a fixed term period at the moment then, when that comes to an end, your changed financial circumstances may affect your ability to remortgage to a new deal as not all lenders count tax credits as income. That's the point at which you'll need to reconsider your options.