Wife pregnant lost job

RDB

My wife has just found out she is pregnant with our first, and I just find out I'm losing my job (our only income) because company going bankrupt.

I am going to try and get JSA for us both until I find something else, also going to apply for housing allowance.

I just wished my wife was working then she could get maternity allowance, but mine was the only income.

Are there any other benefits available for a couple expecting baby?

alwaysonthego_2

I know the feeling, I was 36 weeks pregnant with our 2nd child when dh got made redundant.

How far pregnant is your wife? The official time that you can go on maternity leave is from 29 weeks, so your wife might get hassled into looking for a job, unfair I know. You should be able to claim joint jsa.

Do you rent? if so you will get housing benefit and council tax benefit.

When baby is born you can claim for the Sure Start maternity grant,£500, form normally collected from job centre. You have to claim this before baby is 3 months. Apply for child benefit and child tax credits.

I take it you have no savings, if you do they will affect what you can claim

RDB

Thanks my wife is only couple of weeks pregnant so early days yet.

what do you mean about going on maternity leave from 29 weeks? she isnt working now?

alwaysonthego_2

What I mean is that she will be expected to look for a job by the jobcentre untill she is 29 weeks, the official date for maternity leave.

RDB

So after 29weeks can she get maternity pay from jobcentre?

RDB

Im trying to find out if my pregnant wife is entitled to maternity allowance.

She hasnt been working (well only housewife) mine was the only income.

I have recently become unemployed and we are now on very little income indeed.

Is maternity allowance only for women if they were working? What about if their husbands worked? Is there an alternative?

Sugarcubed

She wont get maternity allowance (info) because she had not been working.

The only thing you will both be entitled to is JSA Or Income support, if your wife claims income support then you can be added onto her claim up until the baby is 15 weeks old.

Check http://www.entitledto.co.uk/ to see if you are able to receive any more benefits/tax credits.

Further information is on the website.

full-time-mum

RDB wrote: »

My wife has just found out she is pregnant with our first, and I just find out I'm losing my job (our only income) because company going bankrupt.

I am going to try and get JSA for us both until I find something else, also going to apply for housing allowance.

I just wished my wife was working then she could get maternity allowance, but mine was the only income.

Are there any other benefits available for a couple expecting baby?

Just wanted to say congratulations and commiserations.

Try and stay positive - you never know, sometimes these things work themselves out for the better. Good Luck with the job hunting.

cannyscot_2

We were in the same position & in the end it worked out. Maybe your wife could take any job quickly -that's what I did and then by the time I was due to drop -I did only finnish on the last day I was due, my DH had found a job.

She doesn't have to say she is pregnant. (thats law) -Im afraid thats what i did! but it meant we had an income. plus although she wont get mat pay she is entitles to leave and will be entitled to her job back just in case you don't get anything.

MY tip for getting a job quickly is tell everyone you meet the job you need and the area and at least a few posibilities usually come from this even if they are not perfect.

LizD_2

Congrats and commiserations. Will you get any kind of redundancy pay that will help you out?

The trick for your wife would be to apply for jobs she has no chance of getting, that way she'll satisfy the requirements for her JSA, but is unlikely to get anything before the baby arrives.

Although it is against the law, your wife will very likely be passed over for a lot of jobs because she is expecting.

Cynical, I know, but there we go.

cannyscot_2

Just another thought , is she were to get a job , they average her earningsand if she was able to gat a good anough pay to average over 30 over 26 weeks -which she still has if she is only a few weeks pregnant then she would get MA which these days is quite a lot about 112 a week. This woud only beuseful if by that time you were working as it would I thinl effectively be taken away by Income support.


This is definately an option but I am abit fuzzy on the detail but I am sure someone more clued up will help. I got a lot of help from the Equla ops people because I was nervous about not saying i was pregnant but they said defo do not say so i just wore flattering clothes plus your wife is not too prgenant yet.