Pregnancy and Freelancing

[Wordweaver]

Hello, I'm looking for a bit of advice. My partner and I have been talking about our future plans and the fact that we would like to have children.

I work from home as a freelancer full time and I earn considerably more than him at the moment, as his business is in the very early stages. So having a baby isn't an imminent plan! But I don't really know where to start looking to find out what - if any - financial aid I'd be entitled to, and what my position would be as a self-employed person in terms of tax, NI contributions etc.

It all feels like a mysterious world to me at the moment and I would really appreciate any links to useful websites/info about how other freelancers have coped.

Thanks in advance!

As a self-employed person you presumably pay Class 2 NI contributions of £2.40 a week? This entitles you to claim Maternity Allowance of £124.88 per week for 39 weeks.

More information here.

Depending on how you operate (so sole trader or limited company) you should (depending on certain earning limits) be entitled to either maternity allowance or statutory maternity pay. But it's not a huge amount of money, roughly £120 a week.

You can find really good info on MA and SMP on www.direct.gov.uk.

I had my first baby about 18 months after I set up and my second 6 months ago. I'd say you need to think about a few things:

1. How will you cope when you are pregnant - if you puke your way through the first few months or have problems and can't work?

1. Will you take time off and if you do how will your clients cope? Will someone else manage the work for you?

1. Childcare. The theory of working with kids at home isn't quite the same as the reality (especially when they start moving). It's worth thinking about how you'd manage that side of things.

Having said all that I'm also a writer and have managed to keep things going successfully while having 2 kids.

Thanks to you both - you've given me some really helpful advice and information.

I'm a freelancer too (publishing). I've had three children, claimed MA while having each, back to work slowly after that. It works for me :)