:\?I have a 3 year old son and am 29 weeks pregnant. I am planning to finish work about 4 weeks before baby is due. I currently get child and working tax credit for my son. I am hoping to move to be near family so don't think i'll be going back to my current job. If i give up my job and don't get maternity pay can i claim income support for my children, i had it for my son before i went back to work. But i'm not sure if i'll be entitled to it if i tell them i have left my job. Does anyone know??

dont see why you counldt get income support if your not geting any maternity pay and even if you did you could probley get income as a top up plus council tax and help with rent. try the d.w.p web site

If you finish work 4 weeks before baby is due you should be entitled to maternity pay if you have been at your work for a certain amount of time. If not, you can claim the staturory maternity pay as a benefit. Once that is finished you can then go onto income support if you dont plan on going back to work.

If I was you, (this is what I done) when i went for maternity pay i didnt tell my job i wasnt planning on going back. I didnt tell them until about 2 months before I was meant to go back. Just make sure you only opt for the 6 months maternity pay otherwise if you do go for the 9months or even the 12 months ou will have to even pay the extra money back or work a certain amount of months- depending on your work contract x

you can claim income support 16 weeks before you baby is due, but if you have quit a job, it is not likely that you will get it. if it is a temp contract that has finished, you will get income support.

if i were you, id take maternity leave, get my maternity pay and then go on income support after 6 months.

Is it true that you cannot get Income Support if you have paid enough satmp?

Thanks,

Sarah Evs