Please help, I feel totally abandoned!

yaimee

Hi Everyone,
First post, so please be nice
I'm 23 weeks pregnant and struggling with my pregnancy a bit (exhaustion, high blood pressure, swollen ankles, awful back problems), I work behind a bar in a busy pub and am coming away from every shift feeling completely broken!
Because I'm employed on a 0 hour contract, I have no rights to sick or holiday pay, or maternity pay, so will be claiming maternity allowance from the government, which I can claim at 29 weeks.
I really want to give up work sooner, because of how much I'm struggling but I will be left with absolutely no income at all, I can't go off sick as I won't get paid and I can't take any paid holiday either.
I am also a student, although I'll be taking a year off to have the baby and will receive no funding for this year, but this leaves me with no benefit entitlement whatsoever until the baby is actually born.
This means that once I leave work I will have £87 p/w maternity allowance to live off, and will have to pay my rent out of this.
I feel like I'm in an impossible situation and am really struggling to cope.
Any help or advice would be really appreciated.

JimmyTheWig

Sounds like you need some help - practical and financial.
I'm presuming that the baby's father isn't on the scene (otherwise I'd say that he's the one who should be supporting you right now).
Would it be possible to move into your parents' place for a while? Obviously I don't know your circumstances, but that would be ideal for some in your situation.
Failing that, have you got other family or good friends who could help you out for a bit?

yaimee

Thanks for replying
The babies father isn't around but do have a place I can stay if I need to. Am under contract at my current address until the 25th October, so will have to stay there until then, but after that I have a couple of nice friends and my brother who have all offered me very cheap places to stay until the baby is born, which is very kind of them, but I don't want to take advantage of their hospitality for any longer than absolutely necessarily.
What I really want to know is if there is any kind of charitable organisation that I might be able to get help from? Or whether (wishful thinking probably) the social ever make exceptions :-S
I just can't quite believe that there is no provisions for circumstances like mine...

Transformer

When babies born make sure you put dad down for maintenance or csa if he refuses to talk to you and reach an agreement.

You would be allowed to keep any money from father on top of your benefit payments/work when back, so you could fund the baby better.

Hammyman

yaimee wrote: »

Because I'm employed on a 0 hour contract, I have no rights to sick or holiday pay, or maternity pay, so will be claiming maternity allowance from the government, which I can claim at 29 weeks.

You are entitled to holiday pay at the same rate as everyone else even on zero hours contracts - 28 days pro-rata per year.

Make sure you get your holiday pay. If they refuse, take them to an employment tribuneral.

Mikazaru

Can you claim housing benefit now on the basis of low income?

yaimee

Thanks for the advice, I'll make sure that I do that
I'm not as worried about after the baby is born, as I am then entitled to full benefits, it's just up until then that I'm worried about, as I will need to give up work soon (28 weeks at the latest, as advised by my midwife) but won't be entitled to any help from anyone (uni or benefits), just feel like I'm in limbo!

yaimee

No housing benefit until the baby is born because I'm a student, but because I'm taking a year out I'm not entitled to student finance either..

Sam____2

if your a student at the moment won't you already have claimed your loan etc?

yaimee

Hammyman, I know I should be entitled to holiday pay, but I have asked after it before and have been told no. Me and the other employees are employed on a dodgy off the books type basis, which leaves us with no holiday pay etc and no security if we kick up a fuss about it, and the way things are at the moment I don't feel that I can rock the boat because it's not as if I can just go get another job now that I'm so obviously pregnant!

yaimee

Loan payment would be due in a couple of weeks time for the start of next semester, but I won't be getting one because I'm won't be starting that semester.
Had my last loan payment a few months ago for the end of last year which has just about gone now. I haven't been frivolous with it or anything, but could only make it last so long. If I was starting uni again in September it would be fine as I would have my next loan payment, but as I'm taking a year out I won't get it.