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Original poster

When I go on maternity leave and my husband isn't bringing any money in, will we be entitled to any benefits?

47 replies

moonmrs · 30/05/2013 21:55

Quick background - we have been ttc for around 5 years, suffering 2 miscarriages along the way, a period of infertility (on my part) and now by some miracle I am 24 weeks pregnant. My dh got made redundant in November last year, and has had no luck in finding work. He started up his own business in February this year, but has yet to have any customers, despite advertising, although I know this will take time. This baby is so longed for that it makes me so sad that we can't provide for him properly - previously we have both been in stable jobs, not earning loads, but enough to pay the bills and have some left over to do nice things, and enough to manage to bring up a baby on one wage for a short while.

So my question is, when I go on maternity leave, and if he still isn't earning any money, will we be entitled to any benefits? I get company maternity pay for 13 weeks at full pay, which I can just about cover the bills with (as I'm currently doing, not easy but do-able) but what about after that? Statutory maternity pay is something like £135 a week, which will nowhere near cover the bills.

Dh has applied for every job going, so its not an option to say he has to get a job - I know that, and he's trying, even though he's started his own business he's still looking for work. Wasn't even entitled to jobseekers allowance when he got made redundant as I work....

Any advice or to hear from anyone who has been in the same situation would be greatly appreciated. I'm so worried, and I want to spend as much time with our new baby as I can after waiting so long, I really don't want to go back to work after 13 weeks, although I guess I may not have a choice.

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

Xenia · 03/06/2013 09:55

Actually to suggest you want to have a family rather than work as if they were choices rather picks on working women who work full time with babies. They aren't choices. Most full time working mothers with babies have always wanted a family. Also even if you would prefer not to work it can be better for you and the rights of women and fairer in relationships and for political reasons if you work full time.

Also you're asking if we the full time working mothers should pay so that you and your husband can have a life of idleness - neither working simply because you are not career minded. The answer no we think if you would claim more benefits for staying home then you ought to go back to work full time like most mothers and fathers and not burden the state.

Rumours · 03/06/2013 18:59

Hi moon I really feel for you I do. Some of the comments on here have been really helpful as some a bit . Have a look at the gov.uk website, it has information about benefits.

xenia the op has already said that if her dh hasn't found work by the time her 13 weeks us up then she'll go back to work. Why be so hard on someone that wants to stay at home and look after ther child? Some mums/dads choose to do that and some don't, each to their own. I have 3 sisters with children, one works full time an is very career focused, one works part time, the other is a SAHM as am I. The ones that work don't think they are 'paying' for us!! We all accept each others choices and are happy for them.

tribpot · 03/06/2013 19:05

moonmrs, there's no way of locking threads on MN; you either need to ask for it to be deleted or wait til you reach 1000 messages, which I suspect you don't want to do :)

Hope you can find a solution that works for your family - nothing is forever and if you do end up going back to work early you can always think about swapping places when your DH when he finds work.

AThingInYourLife · 03/06/2013 19:11

"I think it is pretty rare for someone to not be able to get any job at all.."

Really?

You think we are at full employment in the UK?

AnnieLobeseder · 03/06/2013 19:24

The people saying the OP's husband should just get a job obviously have no idea about the current state of the job market. Empathy, people!

OP I'm sorry that the situation you find yourself in isn't ideal for you, but you get to have that beautiful baby you've been longing for and that's the most important thing.

Many women find themselves having to go back to work when they'd rather SAH, many women find childcare costs keep them at home when they'd rather be working. However, you are in the very fortunate position that you can leave your baby with her/his loving father instead of having to pay for childcare.

HoleyGhost · 03/06/2013 19:24

Those who work have just as much of a "calling to be a Mum".

JakeBullet · 03/06/2013 19:25

Hi OP, what a difficult situation. I don't really know the answer to your question as things have changed but do know that when I was pregnant and in a similar situation (DH had been made redundant so started his own business) that his self employment was seen as "employment" if you see what I mean. He could not claim JSA or anything else, thankfully he managed to find another job just as we were beginning to despair.

Obviously you might well be entitled to some tax credits while you are on Mat Leave and also beyond depending on hours and current salary.

How would you feel about him being a stay at home dad initially while you went back to work? I don't mean you going back too early, but at the end of your Mat Leave.

Xenia did you actually READ the OP, or just the bits you wanted to in order to cast judgement? The OP's DH is looking for other work and SHE is going back to work too. Nowhere has she suggested that she wants "a life of idleness".

Amazing how on MN when someone mentions claiming benefits people cannot wait to jump in judgementally and negatively.

TheLittleMe · 03/06/2013 21:53

No I obviously know we are not at full employment in the UK, please don't be patronising. But I know that where there is a will there is a way - a lot if people don't have the will!

JakeBullet · 04/06/2013 05:44

Thelittleme, the OP has already said that after 13 weeks she WILL go back to work if nothing comes up for her DH. So your point was....what exactly?

Yes her DH can probably find a job in McDonalds tomorrow, as a family they will then be entitled to a whole raft of benefits since he would be on NMW. Then again even McDonald's may not be hiring at the moment so perhaps not!

Jobs are hard to come by at the moment. Work is not impossible but it isn't easy which is what the OP is saying. She is also emotional, pregnant and may see things in a whole different light when her baby is born.

Give her a break.

TheLittleMe · 04/06/2013 07:57

My point originally was that the op seems to be hell bent on both her and her DH being 'allowed' by the govt to sit at home both looking after their new baby because it was sooooo wanted- like babies of working mums and dads aren't!
My second point was in response to AThingInYourLife RE the UK job market.

Rumours · 04/06/2013 08:04

theliitleme the op is not hellbent on staying at home with her dh to look after the baby, she would just like to, but won't if circumstances won't let her. She wasn't asking about benefits to help her stay off work as she realises they won't cover her full earnings, she was just looking at a top up while on mat leave. Give the op a break!

MrsDeVere · 04/06/2013 08:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheLittleMe · 04/06/2013 08:26

:-P

MrsDeVere · 04/06/2013 10:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

snowballinashoebox · 04/06/2013 10:56

Don't see how you read hellbent on staying at home into that either.

It takes a lot of energy and hard work to set up a business, especially in it's initial stages and in this climate.

TheLittleMe · 04/06/2013 11:17

Which it looks like the DH has royally failed at

JakeBullet · 04/06/2013 11:54

I know when DH set up his business it took ages to make a living from it ad we were not entitled to anything because he was seen as "employed". Like the OP, I really wanted to have more time at home with my baby (lots of infertility and miracle baby too). In reality I couldn't afford to and in the end it was fine.

I think generally that when you are pregnant, you can be a bit over emotional about things, when the baby arrives, reality sets in and you start to look at life more practically. Then it's a case of bills needing to be paid and you do what is needed. I went back at 17 weeks, later than planned due to surgery but DH managed to find some temporary work in the meantime which thankfully continued until his business took off.

superduperwuper · 06/06/2013 10:08

Hang in there pet- people who have had a partner out of work who has applied for every job going and go nowhere for months know how it really can be. Its depressing to find that the benefits system offers not that much to people who pay in and do the right thing.

Id say get him to apply for cont based JSA and apply for child benefits / wtc when baby is born. Hang in there he WILL find another job eventually. Think about it in a way you will be lucky with baby's Dad taking care of him, in a lot of ways who could be better?

Congratulations on your impending arrival.

superduperwuper · 06/06/2013 10:10

*got nowhere

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 07/06/2013 15:39

It might be worth talking to your local CAB too. There are some local schemes for mentoring new businesses that they might help DH access. What age is DH - there are also some small loans and grants available that might pay for advertising or something?

8dayweek · 12/06/2013 23:47

OP, I very much doubt your DP would be entitled to Conts Based JSA as it requires full N.I. Conts in the previous two tax years - generally self-employment and periods claiming benefit / sick pay rule this out as the "wrong" type of N.I. Conts are paid (kind of similar to when you claim benefit - if you claim ChB or Income Support for example, you get N.I. Credits so there's no shortfall later on in life, but these credits do not count towards various things, contributions-based benefit being one of them). Hope that makes sense.

Therenfin · 20/06/2013 17:59

OP- just wanted to add that I know how hard it is. I'm in the same spot, my DH has lost his job after I found out I was pregnant and is really struggling to find work. No, there is not work only if you look hard enough, you can apply till you are blue in the face, even get interviews but nothing can come of it.

There was nothing in your original post about wanting to live off benefits or not going back to work so shame on those who jumped in with their condemnation. It's uncalled for when all people come on here for is a little advice. It's very easy to judge and be mouthy on the other side of a computer screen. I wouldn't pay any attention to it.

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