Girlfriend pregnant on housing benefits.. What's best option?

A question about : Girlfriend pregnant on housing benefits.. What's best option?

Hey

I've been with my girlfriend for a while and she lives in a two bedroom alone with her 9 year old daughter and gets some benefits and works part time. Unexpectedly, she is now pregnant with my future first child which I'm over the moon about and we are thinking about moving in together... Although I rent privately fairly cheap at the moment I'm just wondering what you think the best option would be financially if we moved in together and what would happen to her benefits considering my salary is very average... What I mean by this is would it be best to move in with her and claim together where she is now? Will she lose any of her benefits by this? Should we privately rent? Or whats another best option from a financial standpoint?

Thanks

Best answers:

• Of course it is best that you move in together.. You are having a child together !
  You will might get WTC depending on salary and also get ctc and depending on your wages maybe some help with housing benefit and council tax
  Have a look at online calculators such as entitledto. , will show you how much you could get.
• You need to consider both options. The choice will come down to finances, but probably other matters such as location near to school, work, space, comfort, location etc...
  She will lose her single benefits, but then with you working full-time and her part-time at least until she goes on maternity leave, even if you are on low income, you should be able to manage with tax credits, child benefit, and possibly HB. It might look like at first that you are worse off as your joint income might go down, but then you will see your outgoings going down too, and more importantly, you will be able to be with your partner and your child every night which is unvaluable.