If you are in work and pregnant...
If you are in work and pregnant the amount of financial support you will receive will depend on your employment status.
The amount of financial support you will receive will depend on your employment status
There are broadly 3 types of employment status
♦ Employee
♦ Worker
♦ Self employed
Self employed is kind of obvious – you work for yourself and pay your own tax and National Insurance.
But, self employed can mean that you work on a contractual basis for someone else.
A worker is a person who has a more flexible approach to work. They don’t always have guaranteed hours and they don’t have to work if they don’t want to.
An Employee usually has structured work and they are expected to turn up for work at a set time and go home at a set time. Although an employee can also work flexibly.
Why is it important to know your employment status when you are pregnant?
♦ Your employment status will affect benefits that you are entitled to. This also applies during and after pregnancy.
♦ However, if because of your employment status your benefits are negatively affected, there are other benefits that you will be able to claim.
♦ The best place to start is to check you employment status then apply for financial help based on that.
Check your employment status here
There is more information on further different types of employment status on the Government website.
So if you are an employee, or you are self employed, or on a fixed term contract, or you are an agency worker, or you are on a zero hours contract, or you are a contractor, or any other employment status you can find out what help you need from the Government’s website.
A summary from the Government website
If you’re employed or have recently stopped working and are pregnant
You will receive £184.03 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is less) for up to 39 weeks.
Maternity Allowance for up to 39 weeks. You must subtract this number from 52 weeks leaving your final 13 weeks unpaid.
If you’re self-employed
If you are in work and pregnant see what help you can get as self employed.
Between £27 to £184.03 a week for up to 39 weeks is your entitlement. Your Class 2 NI contributions are taken into account for 66 weeks prior to the due date of your baby. Thus, to receive the full £184.03 you should have been registered for minimum 26 weeks for 66 weeks prior to your due date to give birth, with the HMRC. Additionally, you should have paid Class 2 NI contributions for minimum 13 weeks of the 66 weeks prior to the due date of your baby.
You may get £27 per week whilst your entitlement is being sorted out and payments will be backdated if needed.
If you’ve paid less than 13 weeks of contributions
Your Maternity Allowance will be based on the number of weeks you paid Class 2 National Insurance contributions.
If you’ve not paid any, then you will be entitled to £27 per week Maternity Allowance.
All payments are made fortnightly or monthly.
Effect on other benefits
Some of your other benefits may change once you claim Maternity Allowance but the actual amount you will get will either increase or stay the same. The benefits potentially affected are:
♦ Universal Credit
♦ Bereavement benefits
♦ Carer’s Allowance
♦ Carer Support Payment
♦ Council Tax Reduction
♦ Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
♦ Housing Benefit
♦ Income Support
♦ Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) – this will stop if you get Maternity Allowance
You may also be affected by the benefits cap, which limits the total amount of benefit you can get. It applies to most people aged 16 or over who have not reached state pension age.
Click below to read about the benefits cap and to calculate your benefits entitlement.
If you get Universal Credit
Your Universal Credit payment will be reduced by an amount equal to your Maternity Allowance payment. However, it may increase for your children irrespective of receiving Maternity Allowance.
You can get help with childcare costs from the government plus increased hours for younger children.