Zero hours - maternity worries

[lozzalou93]

Hi all,

I am currently working as a supply teacher, I couldn’t find permanent work and teaching previous made me ill. This job is purely to pay the bills. This brings me in a steady income and although I don’t get paid in the holidays, I am very good at budgeting and have had no issues with lack of work. My DP is also a supply teacher. After tax etc it works out to be roughly £70 a day for the days I work.

My main worry is now that I am pregnant I will not get Maternity in this role and with this being my first DC I have absolutely no idea if I would be entitled to some assistance? Would this also be effected by DP earnings if I am?

I am starting to think I will take 2 weeks off after birth (easier said than done when I have no idea what to expect!!) and work 1-2 days a week (I am very lucky in that I’ll have family childcare). My DP is super supportive and looking for a permanent role in teaching. I do not wish to return full time to teaching.

I do have a guaranteed full time job April - October 2019 but I am very worried for the 6 months that I’ll have no income. Is there any help out there?

Thank you in advance for the advice

if you have a job as an employee, even if it's zero hours, in the months leading up to giving birth then you can get statutory maternity pay. If you're not counted as an employee just a 'worker' you can get maternity allowance

@FireAndRain45 thank you for that! I actually have no idea what I am, whether an employee or worker. I will find out, thank you

I'm on a zero hours contract and I did get Statutory Maternity Pay. Also, there are benefits and allowances that you can get once your baby is born, etc. I'm sure that there is a £1k maternity grant that is given to people on a low income, so I'd suggest looking into whether you qualify for any of these.

Are you working through an agency? If you are not entitled to SMP you should be able to get maternity allowance.

@sola82 . It is a teaching agency and thanks for the advice

I’m in a similar position. I had to also give up my extremely well paid HOD role in a school as it was making me very unwell and support was appalling. I will be claiming maternity allowance. Check out the link. www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/how-to-claim