Does anyone understand income support and maternity allowance?....

[sowhathappensnow]

because I don't! Have explained my situation to the CAB, Jobcentre plus, the local IS office and the maternity allowance people but nobody seems sure what the answer is.
I'm pregnant and husband has done a runner. Am a carer for a relative. I can't find employment at this stage and have nothing, basically. I am supposedly entitled to income support with carers premium - which would bring with it free prescriptions and possibly some help to pay my mortgage interest for a while? But as I have also worked for the right amount of weeks in the qualifying period I am also entitled to maternity allowance. Except they overlap so you can't claim both. So how do I know which to claim? MA is more money but as I understand it could stop me being entitled to mortgage help, therefore possibly leaving me worse off than I would be on IS. How on earth do I work out which one to claim?
TIA

MA is more money, but you need to work out if you would be worse off. Try www.entitledto.com and input your details using Carers and the MA in turn.

You can claim both...just that Income Support will be nilled until you reach your mortgage qualifying date after 13 wks.

Cant believe none of the above agencies could answer it...its not that complex.

You make claim to all.

Carers allowance is offset against maternity allowance as you cant receive both (because they are contribution based and you receive the highest of the two) You retain underlying entitlement to Carers Allowance whilst on Maternity allowance. This entitles you to Carers premium on IS. When MA ends Carers allowance becomes payable.

You claim Income Support....64.30 personal allowance plus Carers premium £29.50 equals 93.80...less Maternity Allowance £123 ish (?) Therefore you have excess income of £29 ish.

After 13 wks you would become entitled to mortgage help.

They SHOULD send you letter advising mortgage qualifying date (They often dont so make a diary note)

You will need to reclaim. AND MAKE SURE THEY LINK MORTGAGE TO PREV CLAIM as you have served 13wks qualifying date....this really doe depend on how experienced the processor is

Claim all the benefits ASAP....come back if you need further advice.

Good luck.

Ps Standard interest rate is 6.08%

Eg 145,000 x 6.08% divide by 52 equals weekly mortgage interest amount you MAY qualify for (less the £29ish excess)

The amount of mortgage they allow is normally only house purchase and very very restrictive home improvement loans (generally only if to make it fit for living in) and up to a max £200,000.

Therefore if there is any debt consolidation etc in there then they wont help with that.