do you get income support/benefits?

[hotpink]

who can claim for income support and how much is it? i want to stay at home for the first year after giving birth, and maternity pay may be an option (but i've found out some worrying news about work recently so don't know how long till i get laid off). i don't want to scrounge, i just want to enjoy as much time with my 'future' child as possible. i am married with a mortgage, and my husband earns 16k a year but only on a temp contract. what could i claim for? please give personal accounts and not links to click on, thanks x

[yummymum]

not sure you would get income support with your husband working but you could look into it, maybe they would give you small amount. You will get child tax credit (about �45-�60 a week depending on age of child, they get more under the age of 1), child benifit (mine is �17.50, although you get more when they younger) your partner will also be able to claim for working tax credits. also there is a scheme called healthy start, you get milk tokens that can be used for milk and veg, you should apply for that whilst pregnant as well as they can be used now for your self. If you want any links let me know i have most of them, or ring citezens advice and they will tell you everything you can have.
ps not sure if you will be able to get a sure start maternity grant �500 but its worth looking into.

[Andrewsykes1]

hi sorry to be the bearer of bad news but because your husband earns �16k you wont get a penny out of working tax credits, you wont get free milk etc and you sure as hell wont get income support !!! my husband earns more than �14k and they told us no way we could claim for anything ive paid ni and taxes all my working life so far only time ive had off was to have my daughter and we didnt get a single penny from the goverment !!! you will get tax credits when the baby is born but thats nothing to shout about !! if you dont work claim social for income support etc you get the lot love but if your like us and earn a decent living go to work, pay towards tax, ni ins etc you get NOTHING