Pregnancy related illnesses and benefits?

Gingham_Ribbon

We're considering having another child and to set the scene, I've had 3 miscarriages and a very difficult time with my son. Not to bore you with the details I had hyperemesis all the way through, very bad asthma and tachycardia. This meant that I couldn't walk most of the time, was throwing up blood and my pulse would go up to as high as 180bpm.

It looks like I have hormone related asthma as it's worse during my period and I'm seeing a specialist. It seems I have some kind of immune response to being pregnant. An attack can happen totally out of the blue and one nurse called it 'brittle' although having read up on this, it's not as bad as most brittle asthmatics so I'm not really worried.

However, I had to give up my job when pregnant because I was too ill to work and I was not going to go back anyway. I could claim incapacity benifit for 6 months, then it's means tested and my husband's salary was taken into account. I also got statutory maternity pay of I think £100 a week once the benefit ran out.

I had regular hospital appointments and had to give up driving so needed lots of taxis to get anywhere as I couldn't walk from the bus stop to my house. I had a little portaloo in the bedroom for when I couldn't walk to the bathroom. :eek:

None of this mattered last time because it was just my husband and me, but I'm not sure how we'd manage financially if the same thing happened again as my son would need some amount of nursery/child minder care which he doesn't have at the moment. He's 20 months and wouldn't qualify for free places. On top of this expense, I would need the taxis again for the regular hospital appointments as I would be expected to go to the asthma clinic weekly.

I may have a lovely, easy pregnancy next time, but I'd like to know where I'd stand if it was difficult again. ie would I be entitled to any state help? I've tried phoning the benefits helpline but they were rude and also told me they couldn't tell me what help I'd get unless I was already in that situation.

I'm 34 and would prefer not to wait until he's at school because it's been hard enough getting one child here and I don't want my age to go against me.

Thanks for reading this!

bylromarha

Sounds like you've not had the best time...and then to top it all you get snooty people on the phone.

If I were you I'd ring or email CAB. Much more in tune with sorting peoples issues out and are fully versed in what help you may be entitled to.

All the best...and remember trying for a baby is so much fun...gettting pregnant is just an added bonus!

Ted_Hutchinson

Gingham_Ribbon wrote:

. I could claim incapacity benifit for 6 months, then it's means tested and my husband's salary was taken into account.

No Incapacity Benefit is NOT means tested. If your husband's salary was taken into account this would have been for an Income Support claim and IS cannot be paid if your partner works more than 24 hrs a week.

Generally speaking Pregnancy is not except for the last few weeks regarded as a condition which in itself prevents you from working so for most pregnant women becoming pregnant isn't good cause to stop working and claim sickness benefit or Incapacity Benefit but in your case the complications are such that you would be permitted to claim it. However the DWP details are here Section 7 - Pregnancy - [PDF file size 232KB] and details of the benefit here Incapacity Benefit

As an aside to other readers who may wish to remind me of the 50p in the £1 reductions to IB for those people who have a pension over £85, this is not true means testing in the accepted understanding of the term.

Gingham_Ribbon

bylromarha wrote:

All the best...and remember trying for a baby is so much fun...gettting pregnant is just an added bonus!

:T :T :T

It's a tough one this, because I didn't want to sound whingy or greedy. I suppose I just need to know all my options.

Ted, what can I say. I'd voted for you to get post of the month before you posted this and now I want to vote for you all over again. This information is really going to help us make our decision.

Sorry if I bored anyone with my ramble.

Gingham_Ribbon

Ah! I sense a problem. I am a stay at home mum now and have not paid NI contributions since I got pregnant. The link says I'd be entitled if I'd paid contributions but I imagine that 2 and a half years ago doesn't count! I got it last time but I'd just given up work.

We can afford to live on my husband's salary but obviously if we needed to put him in a full time nursery for example, that would be difficult to do on one wage.

Hmmm :think: It's a shame that it doesn't say 'you or the breadwinner in your household'!!!

Savvy_Sue

Gingham_Ribbon wrote:

Ah! I sense a problem. I am a stay at home mum now and have not paid NI contributions since I got pregnant. The link says I'd be entitled if I'd paid contributions but I imagine that 2 and a half years ago doesn't count! I got it last time but I'd just given up work.

We can afford to live on my husband's salary but obviously if we needed to put him in a full time nursery for example, that would be difficult to do on one wage.

Hmmm :think: It's a shame that it doesn't say 'you or the breadwinner in your household'!!!

Two questions:

1. do they have to be 'paid' contributions, or do the Household Responsibilities Protection ones you get because you are claiming Child Benefit count? I suspect they have to be 'paid', so ...

2. Can you pay those any of those two years contributions on a voluntary basis, thus entitling you to benefits if you need them? That's both a "Will they let you?" and "Can you afford to?" And it's a gamble, because if you can pay and do pay them, and then sail through pregnancy, you didn't need to pay them. On the other hand, it's another couple of year's paid conts which might eventually be useful.

I hope someone will be able to answer the 'can you pay on a voluntary basis?' question for you: I only know about it because after having my first child I basically went self-employed. I didn't earn enough to HAVE to pay NI contributions, but paid some years on a voluntary basis so that I could claim Maternity benefits to which I wasn't otherwise entitled. What I don't remember is whether I could only do this because I was self-employed, or whether anyone could have done it, if they could afford the NI payments.

Actually I'm sure you can pay them on a voluntary basis whether you're working or not, because the govt isn't going to turn money away, generally speaking! What I don't know is whether that gets your record in order for IB claims.

Gingham_Ribbon

First of all Savvy Sue, that post is EXTREMELY helpful. Second of all, shouldn't you be resting?! It's the middle of the night! xxx

Sorry, not that I'm presuming to tell you what to do!

bylromarha

Gingham_Ribbon wrote:

We can afford to live on my husband's salary but obviously if we needed to put him in a full time nursery for example, that would be difficult to do on one wage.

Putting your husband in a full time nursery won't really do much for your financial situation...

But it's quite a picture though, isn't it?! The OH in nursery...will have a smile on my face all day thinking about my OH in that situation!

Gingham_Ribbon

Priceless! Although I'm sure he'd prefer finger painting to his job!

Savvy_Sue

bylromarha wrote:

Putting your husband in a full time nursery won't really do much for your financial situation...

But it's quite a picture though, isn't it?! The OH in nursery...will have a smile on my face all day thinking about my OH in that situation!

I too am :rotfl:at that thought.

And yes, Gingham Ribbon I should have been in bed and was on my way there honest. I just hope someone knows the answers to the questions I posed, or that you can find them out easily! Although knowing what questions to ask is always a good first step!

It is frustrating when benefits agency won't tell you what you'd be entitled to in a particular situation - but it's been the same for years! My DH was on benefits when we married, and we were living separately so we knew my income would be taken into account. But no, they wouldn't tell us anything before we married. So we came back from our honeymoon, he advised them of his altered circumstances, and we discovered he was entitled to the princely sum of 50p per fortnight, sent by first class giro! We used to treat ourselves to a bag of chips on that! (Yes, it is a long time ago, and fortunately we have never been big spenders!)

I did get free dental treatment 'for the duration', but only if I signed to say I was HIS dependent! Fortunately he got a job soon after.

Gingham_Ribbon

You're right. I feel armed with the right tools now. There's lots to think about but I'm gaining confidence. In no small part due to this site and the lovely people on it!

As for the 50p giro! :rotfl: What total luxury! And every other week! Well that's just greedy!

I was out with some other mums last night and I know I won't be alone if I'm stuck in bed for 9 months as they'll be bobbing round with their babies to have a natter and stuff. And if I get 9 months to put my feet up? Well, THAT doesn't happen very often so maybe I'll just make the most of it! :T