Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out what we're entitled to? I'm about to start a phd in a few weeks which is fully funded by a research council and will get a stipend of just under 14k per year. My husband is also just about to start university but as an undergraduate. He's currently entitled to £7783 as he gets full maintenance grant + some of the loan. Thing is, I've just found out I'm pregnant. I'm planning to keep up with my phd for as long as I can but when I go on maternity leave obviously my income will drop - I believe with my research council it's in line with statutory maternity pay. Is there anything we can get extra, either from my other half's student finance or from child tax credits etc? Neither of us work enough to get working tax credits. I'm so worried about how we'll cope with the drop in my income as my husband already has a son from his previous relationship who we have every other weekend plus he pays child maintenance, not to mention childcare costs for our little one when I have to go back and finish my phd.