Hope someone can help please

Chocolateorange

Hi hope someone can help give a little bit of much needed advice! I have been a stay at home mum since my daughter (20 months) was born (instead of returning to my previous job after my maternity leave).

I trained as a childminder last summer and worked for 1 month looking after 1 child in January and informed HMRC accordingly. This child has now gone onto a nursery as agreed when they started. I have not yet informed HMRC that I am no longer self-employed as wanted to check how best to proceed.

I have decided that I would rather get a part-time job outside of the home instead of childminding. Would I be entitled to claim job seekers in the meantime? My husband works full-time and earns £26,000. This is the only income that we have other than child benefit/tax credit (the minimum amount for both).

I have also just found out i'm pregnant and worried that this time I will not get any kind of maternity pay. I am also concerned that I have not been paying any NI and how this would effect my pension and benefit entitlement. Is this something that we should try to pay voluntarily? I hope this all makes sense!:)

Thank you so much for reading and your help

cassieB57

you would be unlikely to qualify for JSA contribution based because they will look at the 2 tax years from 2008-2010, and as you have not worked for 20 months will not have any class 1 NI in at least 1 of those tax years. You cannot get income based JSA if your partner works full time. If you already get the child benefit for your daughter, your pension is protected, but not any future benefits, so if you sign on will get NI credits while you do so.

karenx

Also if you have not been working you wont be entitled to any maternity pay.

AimeesMum_2

Thought I might add that it is still worth you looking for a job despite being pregnant as you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance when the time comes to be able to do so. You won't however, by elegible for any benefits except tax credits and child benefit which I assume you are already getting.