Benefits when on maternity leave.. please help me :(

kayla101

Hi

I am having trouble working out what I may be entitled to while I am on maternity leave..

I currently work full time and work shifts so every week I get paid different my lowest wage is £245 - with highest being around £280 and I get paid on a weekly basis this year I have earned £16890 (this includes over time as well) my OH has earned around £20000 this year.

My baby is due in July and I am starting my maternity in June the first 6 weeks will be at 90% pay and it will be 90% of my lowest wage and also what I get for holiday pay which will be the £245 so I will get around £220 per week for the first 6 weeks and then after that it will go to stat maternity pay at £138 per week.

We have worked out we are going to be down by around £115 per week, and was wondering what benefits may I be entitled to, because the online calculators take into account what I earned 2013/2014 but obviously I am not going to be making that money when I go on maternity leave, how can I find out what I am entitled to?

Thank-you appreciate any help or advice xx

kayla101

This is what I don't understand when I go on maternity leave our income will drop a lot and by April 2015 we will be down by atleast £6000 so will that not be taken into account when I am on maternity leave? or will it only be taken into account after April 2015?

I don't understand how they can tell me the benefits I will be entitled to through my wages for 2013-2014 when its not what I will be earning in 2014-2015 because I will be on maternity for 39 weeks from June.

kayla101

My OH will get again around £20000 between 2014/2015 Me I go on maternity in june and dont go back until end of march 2015 - I will have 12 weeks of around £245 between now and june, then 6 weeks of £220 and then 33 weeks of £138 maternity pay so I am only going to get just above £9000 for the year so looks like we will be on about £29000 this is just quick calculations, some of the benefit calculators say I wont be entitled to anything apart from £20 pw child benefit then others say I will be entitled to £20 PW child benefit and £69 pw universal credit.. I am getting so confused with it all.

kayla101

Thank-you for the info really appreciate it