u/Suspicious_Pipe_160

For context:

Final year, mature nursing student living in England, studying in Wales.

Cohabiting, not married.

I have only worked bank since the beginning of my degree.

My partner's earnings put them in the 40% tax bracket, mostly on paper. Their actual take-home is a little more than average, like occasional M&S snack money, not M&S full weekly shop money.

Newborn baby.

I'm confused, and no one seems to be able to clarify, advise, or say anything other than "no, sorry, can't help/not eligible."

These are all the things I've been told:

Nursery for 2 days a week so I can continue my studies is approximately £8,000 a year. Intense placement requirements and then a theory block mean I can only realistically work bank, which makes me a worker, not an employee? Which means no maternity pay.

Nursery fees at 9 months are a godsend, but I don't qualify because I'm not in contracted employment. However, someone mentioned 16 hours a week, which I more than do at university when on a theory block, and 38 unpaid hours when on placement. I also work bank around 18 hours a week. We have managed to cover the first 3 months of nursery for when I'm due to resume uni in September, but it's not sustainable.

I was told we would qualify for child benefit but would be heavily taxed on it.

Not entitled to student grants because of my partner's earnings. Can't claim anything extra for SFE because I study in Wales, and vice versa from Welsh student finance.

I don't qualify for maternity pay because my work is irregular and I haven't earned the threshold for a certain time frame. During placements, we are required to work whatever we're told to work. Sometimes 7 weeks of nights, sometimes 9-5 or long days, which are a joy when back-to-back because you can then work. Most rotas are unhinged, meaning fitting in bank work is nigh on impossible, so I tend to smash work during academic breaks and use the money to live on during placements.

Yes, we live together, yes we have a joint account, but that is for joint bills. I contribute what I can when I can, my partner takes on the majority (Legend! Although it was agreed before my degree that once I'm qualified and earning, I would be expected to contribute equally and then a smidge more whilst they level out their finances). I pay my own bills, car, phone, etc., and personal expenses. I personally am broke. Like, barely covering my outgoings. I've looked after myself and worked since the age of 15.

For the haters, yes, I know having a child mid-degree is a bit daft, but that's a whole other, utterly wonderful story. No, I don't want handouts. I just want to know how to navigate working/child care and if there's anything that will help.

My only option seems to be to leave my degree to get a contracted job, but then I've wasted everyone's time and owe tuition, and I'd need to earn more than the cost of nursery fees to make it make sense. It's not like I could not work at all because my partner's earnings mean I wouldn't qualify for the dole or whatever it's called these days.

For context:

Final year, mature nursing student living in England, studying in Wales.

Cohabiting, not married.

I have only worked bank since the beginning of my degree.

My partner's earnings put them in the 40% tax bracket, mostly on paper. Their actual take-home is a little more than average, like occasional M&S snack money, not M&S full weekly shop money.

Newborn baby.

I'm confused, and no one seems to be able to clarify, advise, or say anything other than "no, sorry, can't help/not eligible."

These are all the things I've been told:

Nursery for 2 days a week so I can continue my studies is approximately £8,000 a year. Intense placement requirements and then a theory block mean I can only realistically work bank, which makes me a worker, not an employee? Which means no maternity pay.

Nursery fees at 9 months are a godsend, but I don't qualify because I'm not in contracted employment. However, someone mentioned 16 hours a week, which I more than do at university when on a theory block, and 38 unpaid hours when on placement. I also work bank around 18 hours a week. We have managed to cover the first 3 months of nursery for when I'm due to resume uni in September, but it's not sustainable.

I was told we would qualify for child benefit but would be heavily taxed on it.

Not entitled to student grants because of my partner's earnings. Can't claim anything extra for SFE because I study in Wales, and vice versa from Welsh student finance.

I don't qualify for maternity pay because my work is irregular and I haven't earned the threshold for a certain time frame. During placements, we are required to work whatever we're told to work. Sometimes 7 weeks of nights, sometimes 9-5 or long days, which are a joy when back-to-back because you can then work. Most rotas are unhinged, meaning fitting in bank work is nigh on impossible, so I tend to smash work during academic breaks and use the money to live on during placements.

Yes, we live together, yes we have a joint account, but that is for joint bills. I contribute what I can when I can, my partner takes on the majority (Legend! Although it was agreed before my degree that once I'm qualified and earning, I would be expected to contribute equally and then a smidge more whilst they level out their finances). I pay my own bills, car, phone, etc., and personal expenses. I personally am broke. Like, barely covering my outgoings. I've looked after myself and worked since the age of 15.

For the haters, yes, I know having a child mid-degree is a bit daft, but that's a whole other, utterly wonderful story. No, I don't want handouts. I just want to know how to navigate working/child care and if there's anything that will help.

My only option seems to be to leave my degree to get a contracted job, but then I've wasted everyone's time and owe tuition, and I'd need to earn more than the cost of nursery fees to make it make sense. It's not like I could not work at all because my partner's earnings mean I wouldn't qualify for the dole or whatever it's called these days.