Help/ Advice needed please.

jen1301

Bit of background:

I'm 31 weeks pregnant, employed but have been on long term sick for some time.

My SSP ran out in November. I applied for ESA and was refused. I apparently haven't paid enough NI and my Husband works 40 hours a week so we don't qualify for income related.

I am not entitled to SMP as I have been off sick throughout my pregnancy and have not earned enough to qualify for SMP.

My employer has recently gone into administration and although I am still employed at the moment (many people were made redundant) they have been taken over by an administration company and it is proving difficult in contacting them. They have not yet sent me my SMP1 form and they also owe me 28 days holiday that I have not yet been paid.

I'm now worrying that I won't be entitled to maternity allowance either? If it goes on NI contributions?

We're at the end of our tether. My Hubby works hard, and earns an average wage but our outgoings are more than our income. We have cut down on as much as possible and we are basically living hand to mouth.

I've had a difficult pregnancy and now with only 9 weeks to go I just can't see how we'll manage. I never imagined being in this situation. I've never claimed benefits before so its all very confusing for me to get my head round.

I've worked since I was 15 with not many many gaps in employment. Some roles were part time which is where I guess I wasn't paying enough or any NI.
I took some time out help care for a sick family member in 2012 and I didn't claim anything. I lived off my savings as I wasn't 'seeking work' so I couldn't have claimed job seekers anyway. My ESA claim has gone off that time and I'm guessing that is where I had no NI contributions. At the time I didn't really realise that this would cause problems, I was more bothered about being there for my Mum.

I'm not sure if we would be entitled to anything at all? I don't know where to start. I've tried putting details into 'entitled to' calculators but its difficult when they ask about average earnings etc. as I've been signed off sick since July and on SSP for most of that time.

Would it be worth making an appointment with CAB or something similar? I need someone who understands the system to help us as I'm clueless about this.

I really don't want to bring our baby into the world with all this stress and worry hanging over us, It just seems that there is no help there when needed. We're just a normal couple trying to live.

I'd appreciate any advice or insight. Thanks

pmlindyloo

First of all you need to get the SMP1 form from the administrators and apply for Maternity Allowance.

I would download the form (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/401639/smp1.pdf)

and send it to them.

You can certainly make an appointment with CAB and ask them to do a benefit check.

When the baby is born you will be entitled to Child Benefit and maybe Child tax credits.

Have you ever applied for working tax credits? Or housing benefit or council tax reduction?

If you can tell us how much your OH earns then it would give us an idea if you were entitled to tax credits.

jen1301

Thank you.

Hubby brings home around £1300 pm.

Never applied for anything you've mentioned. Will look into them.

Maternity allowance form is downloaded ready. I'm just waiting on my SMP1

jen1301

bump......:)

jen1301

blondebubbles wrote: »

Tax credits is based on gross income rather than net

What are each of your incomes for this tax year?

What is your housing situation? Do you rent or have a mortgage?

Hubby's gross income is just over 19,500.

I'm unsure of mine at the moment, I was signed off sick for April, went back to work at the end of may but was then signed off again from the end of July. Work have been really poor at providing pay slips etc. I'm also not yet sure if I will be entitled to any maternity pay of any sort...I'm guessing that would count as income.


We privately rent.

jen1301

blondebubbles wrote: »

The limit for child tax credits is £26000 so if your total income is less than that then you should get something but impossible to say how much without figures.

There are rough entitlement tables here - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tax-credits-entitlement-tables

Child benefit is £20.50 per week for first child.

Thank you... I'll have a look

gayleygoo

Your OH earns around the same as mine. You should get £20.50 a week in CB and at least another £50 a week in child tax credits. With a baby under one you may get more (I have two children so don't know exactly what you get for just the one.) If you rent you may be entitled to some Housing Benefit, depending on where you are.

jen1301

Thank you all.