Will I get maternity allowance??

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I started a new job this week but due to the start date being significantly delayed I will only have worked 11 weeks before going on maternity leave. As a result, I won't get SMP from employer. I am the only one working right now due to personal circumstances but I can't afford to have no money coming in. Will I get maternity allowance from the government or not as I won't have worked for long?

Were you previously employed?

Were you working before this job? You need to qualify for maternity allowance too

In the 66 weeks before your baby’s due, you must also have been:

• employed or self-employed for at least 26 weeks
• earning (or classed as earning) £30 a week or more in at least 13 weeks - the weeks do not have to be together

www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/eligibility

You need to have worked for 26 out of the 66 weeks (so in your baby is due in May 2019, that goes back until February 2018) before your baby is due. This can be across any combination of jobs, but you must have earnt at least £30 pw in at least 13 of the weeks. You will be paid £145 pw or 90% of your average wage, whichever is lower.

If you've been self employed for a time that should count too but I don't have experience of self-enployment.

😩😩

I worked for 10 weeks from the end of March to the end of May 2018. They all earned over £30 p/w. That, combined with this job, comes to 21 weeks. It's not enough, is it?🙁

Online says:

If you can’t get any maternity pay

You might be eligible for Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

Doesn't sound like it.

I actually get UC just now but it's nowhere near enough for us to pay bills for when I'm off.

Will the amount not go up as your wages drop?

Well before I worked it wasn't enough to cover the essential bills so now we're deep into our overdraft, so I can't see it being enough in a few months when we won't have gotten out of the overdraft.

Even if you don't get the full amount of MA you will still get something, as you are over the 13 weeks, so worth applying.

Ps the UC will go up a bit once the baby arrives, and you will have child benefit too.

How is the baby’s father planning to contribute?