Looking for advice/guidance — keeping my baby as a single mum
I’m 37 and have recently found out I’m pregnant. I’m only around 5 weeks, so I have a lot to think about and I’m feeling incredibly anxious about whether I can realistically make this work.
The baby’s dad and I are no longer together. The relationship wasn’t healthy and we’ve decided to separate. He has said he wants to support me and the baby, but he doesn’t earn a huge amount himself, so realistically I don’t think I can rely on him financially to make everything work.
My financial situation is a bit complicated. I currently have around £97,000 in savings, but my income is relatively low. I’m a casual support worker and usually earn around £1,200 a month, sometimes a little more depending on how many shifts I get.
I’m also currently living with my mum, who is unwell, and I know I need to find somewhere else to live regardless. If I continue with the pregnancy, I’d need to get a home for myself and the baby. I could potentially look at shared ownership as a way of getting a roof over our heads without using all of my savings, but I’m worried about what help I would actually be entitled to because I have substantial savings.
I know I have savings, but I’m worried about the fact that my monthly income is so low and whether I could actually afford the mortgage/rent, bills, childcare and everything else that comes with raising a baby alone.
I’m trying to work out whether there is a realistic way of making this work rather than making a decision based purely on panic.
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar position — particularly single mums who had low income but savings, or anyone who understands what financial support is available in the UK when you have savings.
I’m not looking for judgement about the situation or my relationship with the dad. I’m just feeling overwhelmed and would really appreciate some practical experiences and guidance about whether this is financially manageable and what options I should be looking into.