Help re losing job while pregnant

uknitty

Hi all,

I have posted this in the employment and job seeking forum as part of my query relates to advice on job hunting while pregnant, however as part of my query also related to info on benefits and allowances that I may be entitled to claim whilst out of work (and indeed once baby arrives) I thought I would also ask for advice over here !

Long story short, I have been an agency worker with the same company for 18 months (working on average 40 hours a week) I found out I was pregnant in April this year and have just been advised that my contract will be terminated on the 30th June. When my contract ends I will be in the 20th week of my pregnancy. Although I have been with my employer for 18 months I've been told I will not be able to claim SMP as I need to be working them in to the 25th week of my pregnancy to claim ( I have a very strong suspicion this may be the reason behind ending my contract, but that is another story)

I believe that as I have been working through the last 18 months I am eligible for MA but not until I reach 27 weeks.

This leaves me with a big problem between finishing this contract on 30 June and being able to start maternity from 22 August.

I have been for a job interview today (with the help of two pairs of control pants to mask the bump) and as a result I have been offered temp work starting on 28th June . However, they are only able to offer me 16 hours a week. I am about to face a huge drop in my income at a time when I really need to be saving for baby's arrival.

Whilst I fully intend to carry on looking for a role that offers more hours as I start to show more and more I think this may become increasingly difficult.

Can anyone advise if I am able to claim contribution based JSA while working 16 hours a week, and if so how long in to my pregnancy can I continue to claim this for ? I've heard that past a certain point in the pregnancy that the claim must switch from JSA to income support which again, I am not sure I qualify for as I live with my partner who works full time and earns £17500 pa

I already know that because of my partners income I will not qualify for Income based JSA.

I'm also very interested to hear your thoughts about job hunting while pregnant . I'd especially like to hear if any of you folks have had similar experiences and how things worked out for you. Any advice and guidance you can offer would be very much appreciated.

Thanks to all for your time in reading this.

karenx

You can claim MA from week 29, get the forms filled out and sent away so if worst happens you can start your MA claim as soon as poss!