Help Please - Stressed out Mum2B

Louise_McCarthy-Martin

Hi!

Right so from the top.
My self and husband are expecting our first child (due yesterday) and I am currently employed but only until 31st July 2015, as this is the date my contract ends with my employer. So i am currently recieiving SMP (but only until 31st July 2015) They are not renewing my contract so will be out of work with a baby less than a month old. So i will only recieved SMP until this date. Can I claim Maternity Allowance after this date? I spoke to 3 seperate departments and all told me different answers. What else can we claim?
My husband is self employed and if we're lucky earns £13k per year.
I have spent near on 4 hours today calling the different agencies to see what if anything we are entitled to once my contract ends.
I understand I can claim Housing Benefit from my local council (works out to be £55 per week on a £850 per month rent in Thurrock). I am really worried we will be evicted as my Mum passed away in November we don't have anywhere else to go.


Thank you in advance for any advice

Lou x

pmlindyloo

This is from Maternity Action

Do I still get SMP if my job ends after the
15th week before my baby is due?
Yes, you can still get SMP as long as you are
employed in the 15th week before your baby is
due and you meet the normal qualifying
conditions stated above. It doesn’t matter if
you are off sick or on holiday in that week.
Once you have qualified for SMP, you are
entitled to receive it for the full 39 weeks. This
is true even if you are made redundant, you
leave your job or a fixed term contract comes
to an end at any time after the 15th week
before your baby is due or during your
maternity leave.

So you should speak to your employer. if you meet all the eligibility conditions you should still continue to receive SMP even though your contract has ended.

(Congratulations by the way?)

So you may be eligible for tax credits, housing benefit, council tax reduction, child benefit.

You can try putting your details into the calculator on https://www.entitledto.co.uk to get an idea. Come back if you have any questions. Will need details of hours worked for you and partner, ages, children, disabilities, salaries in last tax year.

Best to just put in claims and go from there. (google for how to do so)

Also look up 'pregnant - benefits' to see if there any 'extras' that you might be eligible for.

Louise_McCarthy-Martin

Thank you

My employer is saying after the 31st I am no longer their responsibity as i will be out of contract.
Just panicking right now as was sure my contract would be re-newed. 2015 and we still get discriminated against for being female eh?

I have printed out all the forms i can find as it was so frustrated over the phone trying to speak to anyone who can speak English and who could speak by not reading a script!

ohreally

Louise_McCarthy-Martin wrote: »

My husband is self employed and if we're lucky earns £13k per year.x

This is no good, can he get employment to boost earnings or pack in self-employment.

pmlindyloo

Is the £13000 pa after tax and NI?

It's more than 35 hrs at NMW so should be no problem being eligible for tax credits.

TELLIT01

Show this http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/employers/smp-faq.htm#n to your employer. Specifically the item headed "
My employee has been made redundant: do I still have to pay her SMP?"

Although the heading refers to SMP the content is clear that the employer is responsible for payment whatever the reason for leaving.

sheramber

Also on acas site

http://www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/r/f/Managing-redundancy-for-pregnant-employees-or-those-on-maternity-leave-accessible-version.pdf

If a pregnant employee qualifies for statutory maternity pay and is made
redundant before going on maternity leave but after the beginning of the
15th week before the baby is due, you will need to pay her statutory
maternity pay (SMP) as well as any redundancy payment. Remember you
are reimbursed by the government for the SMP.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Have you claimed Housing Benefit in the last 52 weeks and could you afford the rent when you moved into your property?

If you haven't claimed HB in 52 weeks and could afford the rent when you first moved in they should use your full rent figure in the Housing Benefit calculation for 13 weeks rather than the current 1 bed LHA rate or 2 bed LHA rate once your child is born. After 13 weeks the LHA rate is used.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

Your husband needs to give serious thought to getting a better paid, full time job now he has a child to care for.

bloolagoon

sheramber wrote: »

Also on acas site

http://www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/r/f/Managing-redundancy-for-pregnant-employees-or-those-on-maternity-leave-accessible-version.pdf

If a pregnant employee qualifies for statutory maternity pay and is made
redundant before going on maternity leave but after the beginning of the
15th week before the baby is due, you will need to pay her statutory
maternity pay (SMP) as well as any redundancy payment. Remember you
are reimbursed by the government for the SMP.

Redundancy and contracts ending may be treat differently

TELLIT01

bloolagoon wrote: »

Redundancy and contracts ending may be treat differently

The Gov.uk site states "leaves for any reason", it's not just redundancy. Some employers will do anything to avoid their responsibilities. Back in the day when I worked on ESA we had an employer say that an employee wasn't entitled to SSP because he'd broken his leg and that wasn't an illness. The person in question was a chef so would have had difficulty working I think.