Pregnant and money problems

[mommyteeshh19]

Hi I'm 5 months pregnant now & im on job seekers allowance as I had to give up my job due to complications in my early pregnancy. I get £230 a month and I'm really struggling as I rent my own flat privately. I have to pay £34 electric a month. Phone bill £36. Rent £30. I also pay water but I can't remember what I pay exactly. Then I get some food shopping as well which seems to run out quicker the more pregnant I get. I don't buy anything for myself at all. All my tops are too small now because of my bump but I have to save to be able to replace them. I don't get any help from the babies father as he don't wanna know his child. So I'm hoping you can give me some advice on whether I can do anything? I've also tried applying for jobs but no one will take me on being as big as I am I can't even hide my pregnancy as I'm so petite

Arrange your maternity allowance with the government, work out the earliest date you can start maternity leave and use that as the claim date, you'll have £139 a week which will help a lot, then when the baby comes you'll receive child benefit of £20 a week and possibly tax credits, you can also apply for a maternity grant. Go to your local CAB or job centre and they'll help

I don't get any maternity allowance as I was only at my job for about 6 months before I left due to stress. I wasn't signed off I had to leave. Working there was stressing me and the baby out too much there was too much conflict

Are you thinking of SMP? MA is paid by the government. As long as you were in work for 26 weeks before giving birth you should qualify.

Your electric and phone bills are high. Look at getting these down.

Would I be entitled to maternity allowance? I got pregnant in July and left in October. But I started working for them in April? And I'll definitely look into my bills to get them lowered if I can

I'd contact your local job centre as you might qualify (did you have a job before then?)

you may qualify for income support rather than jsa once you are 29 weeks or before if you can't work due to pregnancy. if you get income support you can also apply for healthy food vouchers which will help you with your food bill.

re clothes have you tried nearly new sales as they will usually have a matenity section or charity shops and just getting some oversized tops or even mens shirts to keep you going

You will be entitled to Maternity Allowance. Go onto the gov.uk website and read the eligibility, if you google it it should come up. Statutory Maternity pay you might not have qualified for at work but because you have been in employment recently, they will pay you Maternity Allowance. You have to apply when you're 26 weeks. Read up on it :)