Who gets it?
If you've got a mortgage and you're on income-based Job Seekers Allowance or Income Support, you may be able to get help with your interest payments, although there is usually a waiting period during which you won't get any help.

How much is it?
You can only get help with interest payments (not repayment of capital or contributions to a linked PEP, endowment or insurance policy) and the amount is usually based on a standard average interest rate (which may not be the same as the interest you are paying). If you took out your mortgage before 2nd October 1995, you will get no help for eight weeks, half of the allowable interest for the next 18 weeks and then all the allowable interest after that. If you took out your mortgage after 1st October 1995, you will get no help for 39 weeks and then all the allowable interest from the 40th week of your claim. If you claim benefit because of the death of your partner or because your partner has left you and you have at least one child under 16, you are treated as if you took out your mortgage before 2nd October 1995.

How do I claim?
Once you have claimed income-based JSA or Income Support, your social security office will automatically send you a form MI 12 about your housing costs shortly before they become payable. You fill out part of the form and then send it on to your mortgage lender to fill out the rest. The money will either be paid to you as part of your income-based JSA /Income Support or directly to your mortgage lender.

Anything else?
Tell your mortgage lender as soon as you get into difficulties with your mortgage. If you are unable to meet your repayments you may be able to negotiate a temporary agreement for reduced repayments (e.g. during your maternity leave), and some mortgage agreements allow a few months "repayment holiday" once during the life of the mortgage. If you have Mortgage Protection Insurance contact your insurer immediately. Most insurance policies will pay out if you are receiving JSA or Income Support, but not if you are only receiving Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance, so check carefully.
The information included here is provided from the fact sheet Money for Mothers and Babies, produced in March 2004 and gives benefit rates from April 2004. It is important always to get up-to-date information.
For details of publications, leaflets and information packs and training courses contact The Maternity Alliance office:
THE MATERNITY ALLIANCE
2-6 Northburgh Street
London EC1V 0AY
Information line 020 7490 7638