Benefits for teenagers who are 16 or 17

During pregnancy: You will be able to claim Income Support on the basis of ill health if you are too unwell to look for work. You should tell the Benefits Agency that you are pregnant because you will then be entitled to milk tokens.
In your Income Support claim form you should include reasons why you are unwell and why you are unable to live with your parents to ensure you get paid at the higher rate of £42.70.
After the birth: You will be entitled to Child Benefit and Income Support as a single parent totaling £80.75 per week, or £90.95 if you can show 'good cause' for not living with your parents. Your benefit may be reduced if you do not give the Child Support Agency information about the father of your child.You will also be entitled to Housing Benefit to pay for your rent and the Sure Start Maternity Grant of £500.

I have a training place/job. What can I claim?

During pregnancy: Once you are on a training scheme or have a job you will receive either a wage or a weekly training allowance. If you have a job or you are an employed trainee then you may be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) or Maternity Allowance (MA). For more information about your employment rights, please send an SAE to the Maternity Alliance and ask for our leaflet Pregnant at Work 2001/2. If you are a non-employed trainee you will still have some employment rights but you should get advice about your situation. See 'Where to go for help' at the end of this factsheet.
Once you have been found a place on a training scheme or in a job, the organisation you are working for cannot treat you differently because of your pregnancy.

If your training allowance is less than £42.00 and you have no other income, and you have 'good cause' for living away from home, you should make a claim for Income Support.

If you leave your job or training scheme for any reason you should be entitled to receive a Bridging Allowance of £15 a week, or £3 a day until you get another job or a training place. You are entitled to receive a Bridging Allowance payment for up to a maximum of 8 weeks a year. If you live with your parents but they cannot or will not support you and you are unable to support yourself on just the Bridging Allowance, or if your Bridging Allowance runs out, you should claim JSA using the severe hardship route.

If you are off sick you may be able to claim either Incapacity Benefit or IS (you should make a claim for both of these benefits at the same time).

When you are 29 weeks pregnant you will be able to leave your job or training place if you wish and either go on maternity leave and/or receive Income Support of £32.50 per week, as well as a Sure Start Maternity Grant of £500. If you can show 'good cause' for not being able to live with your parents you will receive IS of £42.70 per week.
After the birth: You are entitled to claim Child Benefit as well as Income Support in your own right. As a single parent you will be entitled to Child Benefit and Income Support totalling £80.75 per week or £90.95 if you can show 'good cause' for not living with