Maternity help

[slippynips]

I have just found out I’m pregnant and unclear on where I stand financially.

I started my new job on 7th April. It is 11 hours per week at £9.22 per hour. My partner works full time and I have been at home with our son. We claim housing benefit and tax credits. I decided to do a couple of hours at the weekend (when DP is home to look after DS) purely for social reasons and to try and curb the loneliness of being a SAHM.

My issue is that I don’t think I will qualify for Mat pay through employer as I will only have worked there for 24 weeks by the time I’m 25 weeks gone (cut off point for pay). I also believe I am £12 per week under the Lower Earnings Linit to claim maternity support from DWP.

So what do I do? Do I quit before I would go on maternity leave and get all benefits recalculated for me not earning? We really can’t afford to lose a penny but I’m worried I won’t be able to reclaim benefits if I quit before giving birth??

Any advise on this please?

If you have been there 24 weeks by the time you have the baby then you will qualify for Maternity Allowance. You are right you don't qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay.

See here:
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/649380/ma1-print.pdf

You have to have worked 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before the week of the baby's due date, which you have done.

You need to have earned at least £30 a week, which you have done. If your employer would let you up your hours temporarily then you can increase the amount of maternity pay you get, as it will be a flat rate of about £130 (google for current rate!) or 90% of your average weekly earnings. You have to send them payslips for 13 weeks from any of the 66 weeks before the baby is born, so you just send in your highest payslips and they assess you on those. SO if you could up your working hours you could get a little bit more, up to the max set flat rate.

Hope this helps.

Sorry first sentence should read 'If you have worked there 24 weeks by the time you are 25 weeks pregnant then you will qualify for MA.'

Ah thank you so much @sothisisspring, for some reason I thought I was not entitled to maternity allowance but looking at this it looks like I will be. Thank you for your help xxx