I've just posted in the Pregnancy board about this so apologies if this is the wrong place/I'm repeating myself.
I'm 6w2d pregnant and have just done a calculation on the government DWP website re: maternity allowance. My contract was ended as a freelance copywriter in August so I'm currently job hunting and out of work at the moment. Going by the calculations, I would have just worked under the minimum 26 weeks from March this year until my due date, so I won't qualify for the maternity allowance. Obviously if I get another job, I will work over the minimum and then of course qualify.for maternity allowance (but I think I'll need to check that I will have paid enough NI etc too, as I'm self-employed).
It's all v worrying about the pregnancy and if it will progress ok, how I go about telling any potential and future employers, and how the heck I will cope if I don't find work in time to qualify etc. I know we're talking months away but I'm stressing about looking for work enough as it is, on top of the pressure to get some even sooner now I am pregnant.
Sorry for the moan, I am sure things will be ok. I have a scan at the EPAU on Thursday so I am v anxious about that too, as I had an ectopic in March which really made me v sad.