New job and pregnant

[lozpants]

I've just discovered I'm pregnant with my first, 2 days after accepting a new job. I'm being made redundant from my previous role so staying put isn't an option. Does anyone have any experience in this and what can I do? I won't classify for SMP so will I be entitled to any other form of payments/benefits whilst on maternity leave? I don't start the role until 1st June which means I'll be around 10 weeks. Any advice is massively appreciated, I'm new to all of this. Thanks in advance x

Hi, congrats on your pregnancy :)

You will still be entitled to Maternity Allowance which isn't a lot but its something £151.20 a week for 39 weeks (so roughly the same as SMP without the 90% for 6 weeks). Also you will get child benefit which again isn't a lot but something £21.50 a week.

I was the same op, didnt realise when I started my new job and I'm not looking forward to telling them. You can put on the calculator online which tells you the exact week you need to tell your employer by, its 15 weeks prior to your date date. I was nervous to tell my new employer but I'm ok with it now. Good luck!

@LH1987 thank you! And thanks, that's a massive help, still better than nothing which is what I was panicking about. X

@Indigogirl88 ah congrats on your pregnancy too, I know I'm so dreading telling them but it honestly wasn't planned at all can you please send me the link or tell me the website you found the calculator on if that's okay? X

@lozpants here it is it's in the UK, assuming you are! www.gov.uk/pay-leave-for-parents

@Indigogirl88 yeah I am, thank you that's a massive help!

Just to add to this... has anyone got any tips on how I approach the situation? I don't start my job till June and am so nervous to tell them. I know they can't discriminate but obviously it's not ideal x

I'm in a similar position! I'm 9 weeks pregnant. I was in my notice period 2 weeks away from starting my new job. All in the same week I found out I was pregnant, the job I was leaving terminated my contract with imediate affect and the country went into lockdown. My new job do not know a start date as they do not know when they will be able to open (hotel). They don't know I'm pregnant and I'm so scared to tell them, I'm even scared to post anything on social media after my 12 week scan incase they find out. Money is a big worry at the moment, I managed to get a part time job at Tesco but it worries me that I'm putting myself at risk, partner is self employed on a 0 hour contract and is getting a job every 2 weeks so next to nothing!

This happened to me with my second. I think I must have conceived around Christmas started in January and I think week 3 I found out. I held off telling them until the day after the 12 week scan which was 17th March and I just asked to speak to her in private and told her and she was fine didn't seem to care. She was pregnant herself so I don't know if that made a difference. Then this corona news hit and I was sent home that day to work from home.. haven't been in discussions regarding maternity leave/pay yet.

Exactly the same happened to me, started new job in Jan at 10 weeks (I also found out after accepting the job). I decided to carry on with the new job because it was the right move for me - I hated the last job. I reminded myself if I declined the new job because I was pregnant and then ended up miscarrying then I'd be without baby AND without the job I want. A man would never have to worry about this!

I was nervous about telling my managers, and waited till about 15 weeks but they couldn't have been more lovely and told me not to worry. Maybe helped that they're mums too.

I worried about not qualifying for SMP, but the overall difference for me between total SMP income vs MA income works out fine. because my new job pays more I end up better off overall.

My advice having gone through it is that worrying about it was way worse than what actually panned out!

Thanks all that's so helpful, especially @plantmum as its literally the exact same situation as me. Congratulations and good luck with your pregnancy x