Pregnant and benefits

suzybear

Tory70 wrote: »

Doesn't matter how many times you say you're not judging - you actually are! Other people's situations are not your business. Concentrate on your own life and 'sticky situation' and stop worrying about what other people may or may not get.

Oh my gosh i was just saying, everyone knows what i mean because everyone makes statements about the steriotypical "chavs." Iv worked since i was 16 and iv always paid my way, please dont all attack me!

suzybear

Tory70 wrote: »

Perhaps you should think before 'just saying'. You wouldn't like it we all 'just said' about your sticky situation would you?

go ahead iv got nothing to feel bad about.

JimmyTheWig

suzybear wrote: »

Maternity allowence says i need to have been employed during my pregnancy to qualify.

embob74 wrote: »

You won't be entitled to Maternity Allowance.

Not quite true, but sort of.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/specialist-guides/technical-guidance/ni17a-a-guide-to-maternity/maternity-allowance-ma/

You need to have been working for 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby is due.
If you are 4 months pregnant already (unlikely to have only just found out, but who knows!) then the work you did until June should cover you.
If, say, you are 2 months pregnant then if you don't work until the baby is born then you won't qualify. But if you do two months work then you can still get MA.
Would you be able to do this, do you think? I know that it's not easy when pregnant with another small child, but part time and/or self employment counts. And it doesn't have to be 2 months all in one go.

suzybear

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Not quite true, but sort of.


You need to have been working for 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby is due.
If you are 4 months pregnant already (unlikely to have only just found out, but who knows!) then the work you did until June should cover you.
If, say, you are 2 months pregnant then if you don't work until the baby is born then you won't qualify. But if you do two months work then you can still get MA.
Would you be able to do this, do you think? I know that it's not easy when pregnant with another small child, but part time and/or self employment counts. And it doesn't have to be 2 months all in one go.

Thank you for your help and advice Glad there's so decent people on here. There's a little shop up the road and i get on well with the owner so i'll pop up there and have a chat with her. Thanks again.

JimmyTheWig

As to the rest of the thread (not really appropriate place to discuss this, but I'm guessing it's ok as it was the OP who started it!) it seems like (from post #2) there are plenty of benefits available to you. I'm not convinced that these "certain people" get more than that list. I think sections of the media like to portray these people raking it in on benefits, but maybe that's not quite true.

[Deleted User]

suzybear wrote: »

ok i dont want to upset people or judge but iv always worked and paid my way so how come certain people can not work, not care, pop out as many kids as they can and they get money thrown at them!??!

So do you not consider the Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit you are currently receiving "Money thrown at you"? The idea of the Maternity Grant was to provide Cot's and Pram's etc that most people keep and use again for subsequent children.

I have been a single parent for 11 Years and not through choice, I have always worked but am very grateful for the help I receive. But I have higher aspirations than a life on benefits!

suzybear

i was just shocked when this girl with 4 kids (she's 21!) said that she had her 2nd so she could get a fully paid for house and then she said she had the last 2 because she needed more money. Thats what i was going on when i said what i did.

JimmyTheWig

suzybear wrote: »

Thank you for your help and advice Glad there's so decent people on here. There's a little shop up the road and i get on well with the owner so i'll pop up there and have a chat with her. Thanks again.

Obviously you need to get all your dates sorted before anyone can give specific requirements.
I'm assuming, for example, that you were working and paying National Insurance until the middle of June and that you have your payslips to confirm this.

You might want to get one of those pregnancy tests that give a rough indication of how far gone you are. Or the doctors might want to send you for an early scan to determine when to do your dating scan.
(I'm presuming that your periods haven't been regular and/or you don't know the date your last one started.)


In the meantime, brush up on all those pregnancy dos and don'ts (e.g. do take folic acid; don't eat liver), decide what you want to do about the father, enjoy the pregnancy and good luck!

suzybear

Deleted_User wrote: »

But I have higher aspirations than a life on benefits!

So do i! i haven't said anywhere that i want to spend the rest of my life on benefits. I went on the for 4 months because i had no choice then iv been applying for work recently before finding out i was pregnant.

suzybear

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

Obviously you need to get all your dates sorted before anyone can give specific requirements.
I'm assuming, for example, that you were working and paying National Insurance until the middle of June and that you have your payslips to confirm this.

You might want to get one of those pregnancy tests that give a rough indication of how far gone you are. Or the doctors might want to send you for an early scan to determine when to do your dating scan.
(I'm presuming that your periods haven't been regular and/or you don't know the date your last one started.)


In the meantime, brush up on all those pregnancy dos and don'ts (e.g. do take folic acid; don't eat liver), decide what you want to do about the father, enjoy the pregnancy and good luck!

Yeah i was in full time employment doing 37.5hrs a week up until june 26th, i do have all my payslips and leaving paperwork. Iv got a docs appointment tomorrow for blood tests and iv got a dating scan in 2 weeks. Thanks for the advice.