not really a medically related question, but a, i classed as a single parent?

[Flossy1688]

Hello,

well 20 weeks and one day and im so confused, i have never had to claim anything in my life so i have absolutely no idea what im entitled to.

My other half is in the army down in Portsmouth and we are very much in a relationship, i work full time but on a rubbish wage, i need to advise my employers of my maternity intentions but i have no idea if i can get any help financially so therefore have no idea how long i can afford to be off for.

i will be living with my mum for the time being, the better half will be home on the weekends that he can come home for, and this will be for 2 nights, someone has informed me i am classed as a single parent as he is home less that 3 nights, i have no intention of lying about my circumstances i am very much with my partner and we have no intentions of that changing when he gets posted to Southampton next month we will join a list for a house but until then i will be staying put here and returning to work part time after maternitiy.

He will be paying me a fixed monthly allowance towards Bean, which i will inform anyone that needs to know, but he will also has to be able to afford living down there. i have been on websites and rang citizens advice who said they would send me some info via email when i got the info it was just the websites i had already looked at thought i was going to be able to make an appointment to talk to someone.

SO basically at the moment when Bean arrives i feel the only thing i will have coming in is my maternity pay, and then my wages on return to work and my allowance from the other half

Any help on this would be hugely appreciated

[Hidden]

do u have a house / live together ? im WITH my boyfriend and he stays over but he doesn't live with me , so im classed as a single parent . think you should get child tax credits , its working tax credits it will make a difference .you also get child benefit . any contribution made by ur other half may affect any benefit but as long as you declare it ur not doing anything wrong . citizens advice or gov.uk

[Flossy1688]

no atm we dont live together most weeks he will be able to stay over for 2 nights a week but thats it for the time being.

Thankyou so much for the advice on that one was starting to panic i wasnt going to be able to cope financially

x x x

[Hidden in reply to Flossy1688]

definatly single ! a couple is those who are married or in a civil partnership or living with someone ur in a relationship with, a spouse or partner is someone defined as living with u who perminantly resides at the same address as far as government concerned . if they work away for periods at a time but still base at the same address as u ur classed as a couple if living like one . its different if you have like a lodger or something .

[Megzey]

As long as you declare his contribution on your tax credit form then they will work out if you are eligable for the credit. It is all confusing, I dont really understand how it works.

When you are on Mat leave you will get your mat leave amount from work which there HR department or whoever deals with it will tell you how long and how much you will get. From the government you will get family allowance, child benifeit, child tax credits & then when you return to work you will get working taxs credit.

It is a mind field of forms and figures, very confusing.

[Hidden in reply to Megzey]

family allowance is child benefit ( its what my mum calls it ) if ur working and qualify for maternity pay from ur employer then ur classed as working so therefore if entitled to can claim working tax credits while on mat leave.

[Megzey in reply to Hidden]

Ah right I see. God it is well confusing. I am just glad my sister in law is an accountant or I would be screwed with filling out the docs.

[Hidden in reply to Megzey]

I know its a mine field ! my mum help me set up lots like council tax, water rates and energy but is outdated on a lot of the entitlements now , I was nearly made redundant in dec , when I just found out I was pregnant with my 2nd , i have a 3 year old 2 so I had to do a lot of benefit checking ! luckily I got a transfere last min .

[Flossy1688]

Wow, it is extremely confusing isnt it, well his permenant address is down as his Mums address, but like i say its 2 nights a week and thats only when he can get home

x x x

[lottiesmum]

Good luck with it all! One thought although it sounds like you're not married, a friend of mine in similar circumstances got married quarters for duration of mat leave, so they could all be together for a bit!

[Tabby101]

Try calling your local job centre they should be able to help - my friend went in recently to find out how she claims maternity allowance (self employed) and they told her everything else she was eligible to claim.

[Flossy1688]

im hoping we are not waiting to long when we go on the list for a house one he gets to Southampton in a few weeks, i booked Friday morning off as i have my 20 week scan in the afternoon so was going to go to Citizens advice when my partner is home but i rang them to make an appointment and thats when they decided to were just going to send me the information i had already looked at, tbh never thought about the job centre so will go there instead

Thanks for all your advice ladies

x x x