temporary leaver

righty so I'm wondering if anyone has any advice for me:

I've been at Leeds Uni for a year now, and I ought to be starting in the second year now, but I'm 11 days overdue to give birth, so it's starting to look pretty impossible for me now.
I've been advised by the uni that I ought to take the year out as temporary leaver and come back in Sept 2006....
but my husband just lost his job 2 weeks ago (through no fault of his own...it was very sudden) and there's absolutely NOOO way we can afford to live without my student loan.
I've got a friend at York uni who took a year out due to depression, and she couldn't claim student loan for the year as she was taking a year out, but at the same time the government wouldn't give her any income support, as they still classed her as a student.
Does anyone know what I could do for finances (as i what benefits I could claim) if I do take the year out as a temporary leaver?

Any advice would be welcome!