Maturnity pay.. confused!

[Sarah205]

Hi I split up with my ex, who I have one child too,she is 2 years old. I started claiming income support and housing benifit but I do work 6 hours a week wich is taken into consideration and ducted from my income support, I found out after splitting up with him I am pregnant,I would have fallen pregnant the month before we spit up which I have informed the dwp of. I don't understand how maturnity pay works. As I only work hours a week I can't claim SMP off my employer but can claim MP this off the government. It says I will either get £139 per week or 90 percent of my weekly earnings (which ever is lowest) I only earn about 45 per week. but I claim income support and this will stop once I take maturnity leave! Can anyone help on my situation. If I wasn't working I would get 139 pound per week but because I work 6 hours I don't now don't know what happens with maturnity pay!

To be entitled to £139 per week maternity allowance you need to earn over that before maternity leave so you will not get this.

If your earnings are£45 per week you are entitled to 90% of this as maternity allowance. You Should be able to claim Income Support to top this up to the minimum personal allowance (-around£72pw). You can then claim child tax credits etc.

If you earn £45 a week, you'll get 90% of that - around £40.50. You'll then be able to top this up with IS and usual child benefit and child tax credits.