Compulsory maternity leave

Becles

I'm sure you can claim something (ESA?) for about 6 weeks before your due date and for two weeks after birth (longer if there are complications and you have a sick note). I looked into it when I was reading up on MA in case I wasn't entitled to MA, but I was so didn't need to claim the alternative.

Do find out and take as much time off as you can. Your body really needs the rest to recover from it. I hope I'm not being too graphic, but you'll be bleeding heavily afterwards and leaking breast milk even if you decide not to breastfeed, you get after contractions for a few days while your womb shrinks back to normal size, and it takes a few days for your bowels to get back into their normal routine. It all takes it's toll on your body, and you need to rest to help everything go back to normal.

BiscuitCrumb

As other posters have mentioned, your MA claim should have been considered as a claim in the alternative. (Can't post a link, but go to the DWP site, search for NI17A guide to maternity benefits and scroll down and click on the other benefits link)

Is the MA decision quite recent? Do you know if the number they gave on the letter for you to call was for the Benefit Delivery Centre or for your local Jobcentre?

Bulliebaby46

I would look into income support, I think I read somewhere that you can claim this if you aren't entitled to maternity benefits. Also, i'd really try to take off longer than two weeks, I still couldn't walk up the stairs without getting out of breath after two weeks! Good luck X

airhostess

It turns out that after I have had the baby I need to get the doctor to write me a sick note saying that I'm unfit to work, and how long for. I can then use that to get ESA for that period of time. After that I may be entitled to income support, but I'll need to apply. If I ca't get it I'll need to go back to work asap (even if I can get it, I might still have to work, depends how much it is!) Thanks so much everyone for your input.

So for anyone who cant get SMP or MA, you need to ask the doctor for a sick note after you've give birth and use that to get ESA for however long the doctor has signed you off for. It should be at least two weeks as you aren't allowed to work for two weeks after giving birth.

karenx

Are u a single parent? Thats the only way you would get Income Support but you need to also be unemployed

airhostess

No, I am not a single parent or unemployed, but my husband doesn't work many hours in the winter. You don't have to be a single parent or unemployed to be entitled to IS. Even though I am still employed after I give birth, I will be working 0 hours per week and will not be getting paid.

This is from the direct.gov website:

Who is eligible?

You may be able to get Income Support if you're aged 16 to 59 and any of the following apply:
you're a lone parent
you're registered sick or disabled
you're a student and either a lone parent or disabled
you're caring for someone who's sick or elderly
you’re pregnant and your baby is due within the next 11 weeks, or you have given birth recently and your baby was born within the last 15 weeks

and the following apply:
you don't have savings of £16,000 or more
you're not working, or work on average less than 16 hours a week

You may also be entitled to Income Support if you have a low income and:
you're sick and your Statutory Sick Pay is less than the amount of Income Support you would be entitled to
you or your partner or civil partner are not working because of parental leave
you're on paternity leave

and if I do qualify for income support, I automatically qualify for housing benefit & council tax benefit along with some other bits and bobs... which in total adds up to waaay more than what I would have gotten from maternity allowance alone in the first place. So why not just give me maternity allowance and save a packet?? This government is weird.

bungle82

I have only been employed for 3 months and as such am entitled to 4 days holiday, which obviously I will put towards the 2 weeks I can't work.

You can't take holiday during the 2 weeks compulsory maternity leave (or whilst receiving SMP/maternity allowance etc) due to working times regulations.