to want to find out if i can claim any sort of maternity benefits, i am a sahm, have been for 3 years, eldest at school now, been looking for a job, but no luck so far

[gingercatpaws]

i am looking for a job, but could be tricky now i'm pg.

been at sahm for about 3 years now and eldest child is now at school.

dh does earn quite alot, around 40k but we do have high bills, so if i could find some sort of casual work or even claim any sort of maternity allowance that would really help.

I don't think you will qualify for anything OP.

You obviously wont get SMP as you aren't working.

You only get maternity allowance if you have worked for a continuous period of 26 weeks at some point in the last year I think.

i am job seeking, but i don't think i can claim jsa either.

ideally i'd get a casual job, then claim maternity allowance.

unless i try and create a bit of my own work, even if its something like ironing at home, just a a temp thing, ust enough to pay the stamp or whatever it is i need to do.

There is a website called entitled to .com/org something like that - pop in your details and it tells you which benefits you can claim.

thanks, i was thinking of asking cab, but wasn't sure if they help people like me.

i'm thinking maybe doing something, anything really on a self emplyed basis may be the easiest way forward.

There is nothing to stop you from going to work. You wont be entitled to any maternity pay though. But if it is just so that you can earn money for the moment, then go for it. Be honest with the employers though.

You wouldn't qualify for SMP, I am currently coming to the end of Maternity Allowance (I started a job whilst a few weeks pregant). To get MA I had to have worked a certain amount of weeks within a 66 week period which I had.

As far as I'm aware the same goes for being self employed, don't think you can create a job for yourself and then backdate NI etc solely in order to qualify for MA. As a previous poster said you can certainly work for the wages but you won't qualify for associated Maternity/SMP allowance.

if you can't find any of the topics this would be more appropriately sited, I wouldn't hold out much hope of finding a job.

Haka

She isnt being underhand. She is either entitled to it or she isnt, and in this case she isnt unless she can get 26 weeks work in before the baby is due. Maternity allowance is paid by the government.

i don't think i'd get company maternity pay.

i know theres nothing to stop me from getting a job, it's just hard to find one these days, i am looking.

if i got a job,i could then claim maternity allowance.
that would be really helpful.

"just enough to pay the stamp or whatever it is i need to do"

If you are a CB recipient, you will automatically get an NI credit until your youngest child is 11 which will preserve your long term record eg for pension, but doesn't count for eg JSA.

Maternity allowance is not paid by a company it is a benefit you claim from the Jobcentre isn't it. SMP is also refunded to employers from the government.

To be entitled to MA you have to have earnt at least 100 and something pounds (I don't know the exact figure but I think it's about 100) per week for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before the due date. You could do this by temping, but if you are already pregnant you have little chance of getting enough payslips as there is not much temping work out there. It doesn't have to be a continuous 26 weeks though. I had a gap between leaving a job and starting temping and I will be able to claim MA. but if you are already pg now, even if you get a job, by the time you get one and start it, you would be hard pressed to do 26 weeks.

If you are self employed then I guess it is about your NI contributions which you would be able to prove. I don't think you'd get enough just by taking in ironing.

Look at the direct.gov website for information about maternity allowance.

i do have time to get some work of work, either employed or self employed in, for 26 weeks.

no, you only have to earn at least 30 pounds a week.

Here's the DWP guide to maternity benefits. As you haven't been working, you are unlikely to qualify - unless you are newly PG and can find work for 26 weeks before your EDD.

Ah right, it's 100 something for the full amount then. If you only get 30 pounds a week obviously then your MA will not be 120 pounds a week! I think you have to submit your best 13 pay slips so they can average it out. I have all this to look forward to.

so i really need to find some work, employed or self employed for 26 weeks then.

perhaps with the run upto christmas a bit more work will become avalible.

or i'm happy to do anything really as its only short term, even cleaning which i hate.

How many weeks are you? You will need to work for 26 weeks before you reach 39 weeks pregnant. Even if you are 4 weeks pregnant you will have only nine weeks to find and start a job - diificut at the moment. Also do you really think you could work right up to the end of your pregnancy and you will need to look into what happens if your baby is born before you have been employed for 26 weeks.

One bit from the guidance to be aware of: "If you are self-employed, you must be registered as such with HM Revenue & Customs according to their rules".

I think many christmas vancies are filled, mums at school were applying and getting interviews in September.

you know you will get income support right? and tax credits once baby arrives, you will be eligible for healthy start vouchjers, not sure if they axed the grant though,

I doubt a casual job would earn you above the earnings threshold for MA even assuming you got a job next week and worked the next 26 weeks. Also with casual work, especially in retail or hospitality, in the run up to Christmas and Sales, the hours can to be irregular and in shifts which may necessitate organising some childcare, possibly at short notice, and it peters out come January. Do you have any relevant experience ?

Something like taking in ironing sounds like it might suit you because it's so flexible, and it's something that you could continue throughout the pregnancy and when you have the baby if you pace yourself.

nailak, would she really still get income support considering her DH earns 40 grand a year?

I'm a cleaner and got my current job quite quickly, although I was already in work and am very good at my job so they wanted me . You will not automatically get the full £126 a week, or whatever it is of MA, it is a percentage of your salary or the highest amount of MA paid. I get the full amount of MA as I work 19 hours a week and my wages are roughly £125 a week.

I have cleaned throughout 3 pregnancies, I clean large entertainment complexes and found it very difficult throughout the last pregnancy, it was very hard going especially with the other two at home and working the odd night.

KatandKit you're right, you submit a sample of payslips over a 3/4 month period, but you can pick the payslips if your wages vary, in order to up your chances of getting the full amount. I'm back to work next week after dd3, don't tell anyone but I'm sort of looking forward to it