what a load of poop!

[racheldee]

went to the jobcentre today and turns out i probably won't be entitled to any form of maternity pay or allowance because i don't earn enough
not a happy bunny

 

[titch]

eh? this cant be right! so what are you expected to claim?

 

[Rosie's Mummy]

What? How come? Can you use that online service to check your entitlements? Im not sure what its called but one of the girls will know, I think Wobbles? xx

 

[racheldee]

at the moment i can only claim income support because i only worked 5 hours a week at under £97 a week
:/

 

[titch]

what if a woman was unemployed then became pregnant?! I thought there was a maternity allowance if youre not eligeable for statutory maternity pay?

 

[Rosie's Mummy]

You could check that you were exempt from paying contributions? I think you have to be earning £30 a week for so many weeks - have you seen this link?

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/...-a-guide-to-maternity/maternity-allowance-ma/

I hope you get somewhere with this

 

[racheldee]

see i only earn £25.30 a week
so i don't think i'll be entitled to maternity allowance but i'm going to give it a shot once my income support has come through!

 

[Mamafy]

Not good

 

[Rosie's Mummy]

Can you get the grant for £500?

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/moneyta...ort/expectingorbringingupchildren/dg_10018854

 

[racheldee]

yes i can get the grant
i was told it's best to claim after baby is born when i have my income support confirmed!

 

[Rosie's Mummy]

At least that is something -

 

[racheldee]

it's just all a bit annoying because i wish my employer told me sooner rather than leaving it til i had started my maternity leave as i sent all my forms off for maternity pay back at the end of february and my manager (who's also pregnant) didn't tell me there might be a chance i wouldn't be entitled to it!
now i have to faff about after she's born when i wanted everything sorted before she arrives
nothing ever goes to plan with money and babies though eh hahaha

 

[ERIN84]

That is so rubbish!! What do they expect you to do for money?

Im hoping to claim maternity allowance, they better not start trying to say im not elidgable or I will be up shit creek without a paddle!!! x

 

[racheldee]

i suppose they expect my £60-something income support will be enough plus £500 sure start when she arrives will be enough, i hope it will be
i'm going to have to mega economise!
ohh and my child benefits too but i have to claim it all after she's born as my income support won't come through til then

 

[angel87]

hi all
racheldee- im in the same position as u. and realli dont know what to dlo!!!
im also going to be a single parent and my family have disowned me since being pregnant
and dont know where to turn to
xxx

 

[vixforever]

Not good

 

[AugustMum]

Im the same. I left my work before Id worked there 26 weeks so not entitled to it, so Ill be on income support and child tax credits and the child benefit. I worked it all out though and it didnt seem like that little to live on. I might double check though on the calculator but yeah. Im sorry your not entitled to it though. Theyve told me to try and apply for it anyway but I thought that if you got maternity allowence you couldnt get income support and I need the higher figure. :S

 

[mummynmummy2b]

Hi guys... if you are on benefits it all tends to work out about the same but just comes from different government pots... For example if you get the £100 Mat Allow rather than £60 Income Support you will get less in housing/council tax benefit to make up the difference. In reality you are actually better off on income supprt as it is a qualifying benefit for a lot more help.... £500 Mat grant etc...

Basically you end up totalling about the same amount per month, just comes from different places. Thats if your a single parent or both you and your partner are not working, not sure how it works if your partner is working. Loads of online calculators to help work it out. At least £60 income support is better than £25/week wages!!

xxx

 

[Emmamb]

U should get child tax credits aswel as ur income support wen baby arrives..think it's about 60 a week x

 

[racheldee]

i'm currently getting £52 income support and i'll get child tax once she's born because hey need her birth certificate