Benefits - non entilement

[warpig3]

Story in brief - I took a career break from the NI civil service in march 07 and joined my partner in Scotland. I have never claimed benefits, have worked and paid stamp for 20 years.

Became pregnant and midwife told me I was entiltled to JSA so I applied for it and got it (�59.15 per week) after fighting with them. got telephone call today saying that i was not entitled to Maternity Allowance and have written to employers who will not give me (revoke career break) my job back before end of career break duration. So am told I am entitled to no benefits unless I am (nudge nudge wink wink as implied by the lady that I spoke to) a single , soon to become parent, then I could claim income support.

I am devastated. After working for 20 years and paying my dues I am entitled to nothing apparently, surely t his can not be right? I understand that i took the career break under my own volition but if I am entitled to JSA, am I not entitled to maternity pay/

thanks in advance. all views apprecieated

[redcrx]

ah you numpty :) fill it in, �300 is a good start if you can get it.

try here too http://www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/Qua lify/DIQHousehold.aspx

tax credits also pay towards child care if and when you do go back to work, although they will only pay towards registered child carers.

[warpig3]

cheers redcrx, this is a whole new learning curve for me.

[bednobs]

its difficult, because in my opinion i would like to live in a society that helps people who for whatever reason find themselves unable to afford real life. Unfortunately this dosent include families who earn over 30 grand (in my opinion)
if everyone who thought they could do with some extra money got it there wouldnt be enough "stamp" to pay for police,, hospital, ambulances doctors, all things that you are probably using, or would be able to call on if needed.
In this respect you probably are getting your money's worth. If you are able to survive on your partners wage, then thats a good thing!

i want to say something nice on the end of this because people seem to think i'm a bit spiky, but ^^^^ that is how i feel

[warpig3]

Bednobs, yes we do survive on my partners wage but in order to do that we do make sacrafices. We dont have a flash car, we dont have foreign holidays, we dont borrow and we do live within our means. I never considered ourselves hard done by but now it would appear that I may as well have sat on my backside for the last 20 years and done nothing except claim benefits, lie to the social security about my circumstances and take everything that is going.

I dont consider your response a 'bit spiky', it just gives me another perspective to consider so I thank you for that.

[bednobs]

but people on benefits dont take exotic holidays, drive flash cars etc either! - they cant afford to.
Besides it dosent really help your case to say i want benefits because im having to cut back on luxuries and despite not working i'd still like to carry on doing the things my working lifestyle afforded me to do (cars, holidays) and anyway, you will not only get child benefit (which you have pad in for) but alo tax credits so you cant exactly say you are getting nothing. Plus your child will be delivered at taxpayers expense, be educated at taxpayers expense etc. again, part of the stuff you have paid in for in 20 years of work. people Do defraud the benefits system, but take pride in the fct you are not one of them

[bednobs]

but people on benefits dont take exotic holidays, drive flash cars etc either! - they cant afford to.
Besides it dosent really help your case to say i want benefits because im having to cut back on luxuries and despite not working i'd still like to carry on doing the things my working lifestyle afforded me to do (cars, holidays) and anyway, you will not only get child benefit (which you have pad in for) but alo tax credits so you cant exactly say you are getting nothing. Plus your child will be delivered at taxpayers expense, be educated at taxpayers expense etc. again, part of the stuff you have paid in for in 20 years of work. people Do defraud the benefits system, but take pride in the fct you are not one of them

[warpig3]

I give up!

[bednobs]

just trying to give you an alternative perspective. I am Never going to have children, yet i pay for schools, maternity units, midwives, child tax credits, family allowance (or whatever they call it now) through my taxes, I could get devastated that after 17 years of paying taxes i will not get these benefits, but i get lots of other things so i dont. ok so you cant get maternity benefits, and will have to survive on your partners wages for a few months, but at the end of the day, having children is a choice!