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Single parent and not working
'Single parent', 'lone parent', or 'one parent family' are all terms which are used to describe you if you are bringing up a child or children on your own. You might be divorced, separated, widowed or never have married.
If you are unmarried but living with a partner you will be seen as a couple, not a single parent, and any benefits you can receive will take your partner's income into account.
To claim many of the benefits described here you will have to make a claim. Usually you start a claim by phoning the relevant agency (Jobcentre Plus, Tax Credit Office).
I am unemployed and pregnant with my first child. What can I claim?
If you are less than 29 weeks pregnant you should sign on as unemployed at the Jobcentre and claim Jobseeker's Allowance - just as if you were not pregnant. You have to show that you are actively seeking work. If your pregnancy makes you incapable of work then you should claim Incapacity Benefit or Income Support instead.
Once you are 29 weeks pregnant you may be able to claim:
- Statutory Maternity Pay from your ex-employer if you were still employed in the 15th week before your baby is due, OR
- Maternity Allowance if you are not entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay and you have worked for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before the week your baby is due, OR
- Incapacity Benefit if you are not entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance but you have worked in the last three years or so OR
- Income Support, either on its own if you are not entitled to anything else, or on top of other benefits if they are paid at less than the rate of Income Support. If you are entitled, you can carry on getting Income Support when your baby is born.
Income Support for single parents
Income Support is a weekly benefit that tops up any other income you have to a set amount which is considered enough for you to live on:
- You must be unemployed or working less than 16 hours a week
- You do not have to 'sign on' as available for work
- You can continue getting Income Support as a single parent until your child is 16
- You cannot get it if you have savings of £16,000 (this does not include the value of your home)
- If you have savings of £6,000 or more, £1 will be deducted from your weekly benefit for every £250 over £6,000
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