IF YOU ARE… PREGNANT

If you are pregnant, you cannot make any claim for benefits earlier than 11 weeks before the week the baby is due, unless you can claim for some other reason. This might be because you are sick and unable to work (see here), because you are unemployed (see here if you are 18+, or here if you are 16/17), or because you are in Further Education and have to live away from home (see here).

Once you have reached 11 weeks before the week the baby is due (weeks are worked out Sunday to Saturday, and you will have to wait for your MatB1 at your 20 week scan to get the date confirmed) you may be able to claim benefits depending on your circumstances:

If you are pregnant and working

You should be able to claim either Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) from your employer, or if not, Maternity Allowance (MA) from JobCentre Plus, depending on the length of time you have been working and your average earnings. You can wait to claim these right up until the baby is due. For SMP you must give your employer at least 28 days notice of the date from which you expect your employer to pay you SMP.

SMP and MA can be claimed for 39 weeks. The first 6 weeks of SMP may be at a higher rate, but after that, SMP and MA are at a maximum of £117.18 per week, and depend on the wages you earned in the period roughly from the 22nd week to the 15th week before the week your baby is due, so if you are on a low wage but can increase your earnings in the period for example by doing extra hours, you may be better off later - get advice.

In the first instance, apply to your employer for SMP, as they are responsible for working out if you are entitled to it, and paying this to you if you are. Otherwise, claim MA by ringing the JobCentre Plus new claims helpline. If you are in a couple, you can claim SMP or MA independent of your partners earnings.

If you are pregnant and not working

You may be able to claim Income Support, but if you are in a couple, and your partner is working, their earnings will be taken into account, and you may not qualify.

  • For weekly Income Support (and JSA) rates see here

Once your baby is born, you should be entitled to claim other benefits as well, for example Tax Credits and Child Benefit. See here.

IF YOU… NEED HELP WITH THE COST OF YOUR NEW BABY

You may be able to claim a Sure Start Maternity Grant (SSMG). This is a grant of £500 to pay towards the cost of a new arrival. You do not have to pay it back. If you (or your partner) are claiming Income Support or Income-based JSA you can claim this before the baby is born - apply from 11 weeks before the baby is due.

Otherwise you may be able to claim in the first 3 months after your baby is born if you are on a low income. This is based on the level of Tax Credits you are entitled to.

Ring the JobCentre Plus new claims helpline for a form, or download form SF100 from their website.