argh just realised i won't get mat. allowance

[babyonboard]

i was a student until may this year so didn't work and am now (being obviously pregnant!) finding it impossible to get a job...even short term agency work. i assumed i would be entitled to maternity allowance when the tot is born in october, but have just looked into it and you need to have worked for 26 weeks before the baby is born to claim. am now worried sick as we live in london which is very expensive and my b/f only earns £12'000 per year. we are fairly young, and so have barely any savings..will i be entitled to anything at all or am i on my own with this?

You may be eligible for some Incapacity benefit or other allowance. I would suggest you go down to the CAB and ask them to calculate your entitlements.

you need to have worked for 26 weeks within the last 3 years and you can pick the 26 weeks to be judged to get maternity allowance .. does that help at all?

otherwise sorry

ooh..that may well help, i did work full time for 3 months last summer, and for a month over christmas, plus 6 months two sumers back..
unfortunately my cab are terrible...they only have appointments, and you have to phone to make one, yet during the times their phonline is open you can never get through, last month i had over £5 worth of calls to their number by getting an anserphone everytime. I think there is an independent benefits rights charity in my area, so i will try to see them.

you need to get down to your local social security office and have a word with them, my work place wouldnt pay me mat pay as i only had a contract of 12 hours p/w, but i got it from the SS,. you might be able to. esp if you have been in full-time edc.

he he..ss hate students! as i found when my loan wasn't paid on time last septmeber, which also meant my uni didn't recieve my fees and so wouldn't give me a short term hardship loan. I apllied for a crisis loan at s.s and they basically laughed at me, and said they were only for people on benefits..after missing a weeks college through not having bus fairs and using up all the pasta etc in the house i realised they had misinformed me, but they still didn't want to know,
i hope they are more helpful in this situation

Just read the forms very carefully. I was able to pick and choose my 13 weeks (and as I only work sporadically this was vital). Can't remember over what period, but I hadn't worked at all for 10 months before ds2 and still got maximum Mat Allowance. My ss office knew nothing btw. Fill in the form anyway - you might get something!

can i do it now? my pregnancy chart says to wait until week 28..but i guess it'll probably take them until thento even open the envelope..he he

When I applied last year there was a 3 month back log....

send it recorded delivery.........i'm having problems with mine due to IR misinforming me. when i do eventually post it, it will be going recorded delivery so they can't say they never received it.

i thought everyone was entitled to maternity allowance?

are you on any other benefits? income support etc? if so there are many other benefits you can claim

only entitled to mat allowance if you have worked, on incap benefit or waorking tax credits as far as im aware - and as none of the above apply to me - im stuffed!

You'll be able to get income support instead though, surely (and housing benefit etc)