baby and benefits? UK

[Fairyland]

hi everyone!

I was just wondering if any of you know what kind of benefits I can get as a new mum. Right now I'm informally employed...as an aupair. So clearly my employer won't be paying me maternity leave or anything like that. I wonder if there is any other benefit, other than the 20 pound a week child benefit, that I can get? my boyfriend works full time, but he doesn't quite earn enough to keep the two of us and a baby fed. How would I find out about this? Is it the jobcentre plus I'll have to go to? I've never claimed any benefits at all, so I really don't know where to get this information.

thanks for any help.

 

[sammyc1989]

Ring up the CAB and see what they say - you might be able to claim Working Family Tax Credits - but I have the same problem, I'm self employed and I can't claim anything, so I will be working as soon as my baby is born!

Luckily I can work from home so I can look after the baby too!

 

[Sunshine12]

www.entitledto.com will help you .x

 

[xpatchx]

You can work out working tax credits and child tax too. My husband earns around 12,000 a year and I am self employed but wasn't last year so this year was done purely on his wages, and I get £20 a week CB and £71 a week TC's xx

 

[kat2504]

If by "informally employed" you mean cash in hand out of the tax and NI system then unfortunately you won't be able to claim for yourself. That's a shame because you ought to have been entitled to some maternity pay. if you do have a contract you are entitled to 39 weeks of maternity pay.

If your household income is low enough then you will be entitled to claim for some tax credits. The jobcentre should be able to tell you what the cut off point is but there are also benefit calculators online.

 

[x Helen x]

When you say "informally" what do you mean exactly? That you don't declare your earnings or pay tax? Or just that you're self employed?

If you are self employed or employed but not eligible for statutory maternity pay then you can claim maternity allowance (see here: https://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyT...ort/Expectingorbringingupchildren/DG_10018869)

 

[JIR705]

I was just passing through and thought how lucky you guys are to have this. The most one can claim here is for food stamps but if youre married or with your oh thats all you get. Welfare is for those who are collecting child support. Im sure its not as much as if you were working but something is always better than nothing.

 

[kat2504]

It's not luck. Women have fought long and hard to get decent rights and still have to fight to maintain them. They have put pressure on governments over the years and have used their vote to improve their situation. If other countries don't have decent maternity rights it is because the voters are not putting pressure on their governments to provide it. Half the electorate is female after all, and men also benefit from women being able to have the right to maintain their career and family. But it definitely did not happen out of sheer "luck". When my mum was young women were expected to leave their job when they got married. Over time things have improved because women have campaigned for it.

 

[tinytabby]

...And unfortunately many of the benefits and services for hard working mums that we fought and voted for have since been CUT. Grrrr.

 

[JIR705]

It's not luck. Women have fought long and hard to get decent rights and still have to fight to maintain them. They have put pressure on governments over the years and have used their vote to improve their situation. If other countries don't have decent maternity rights it is because the voters are not putting pressure on their governments to provide it. Half the electorate is female after all, and men also benefit from women being able to have the right to maintain their career and family. But it definitely did not happen out of sheer "luck". When my mum was young women were expected to leave their job when they got married. Over time things have improved because women have campaigned for it.

I dont doubt that in anyway, I am glad that I was able to get the medical benefits I got for my pregnancy that is a huge help. I dont feel greatful or lucky though as my husband pays his taxes we SHOULD have some benefits not just what the government sees fit. What upsets me is when people cross our border illegally and get benefits without contributing to the system, which of course is depleting funds. I believe if they are giving the chance to contribute they would. Instead the fees are ridiculous causing them to go the other route. Like you said its taken a lot of time and effort but just now the system is starting to change hopefully all this can get cleared up and we will be entitled to more programs.

 

[xpatchx]

I do feel for America that when you guys have children, or an illness you have to pay for a lot of the healthcare that we get mostly free because even insurance doesn't cover some things! I get what you mean - what we have is fought for, but we are lucky because a lot of places don't have anything like this.
I lived in France and if you had a baby you don't get anything - I hate that!

I assumed that the OP was working self employed - so my advice was on that. If you are not declaring your earnings then I'm afraid you probably won't get any help as a "working" person but you might get Income support depending on your oh's wages.

 

[Fairyland]

as I say I'm an aupair right now...which makes it "informal"...aupairs don't pay taxes. this is completely legal...I'm not doing something I shouldn't. I just wonder if it would make sense to talk to the lady I work for and change my status so that I would basically be self employed. I'd have to pay taxes just now, but I could then claim benefits, couldn't I?
CAB (citizens advice bureau) is a great idea...didn't think of that! I'll have a look at the other website mentioned too, thanks so much!

 

[xpatchx]

I've read before that au pairs don't have to pay tax because the money paid for such a job is below the tax bracket because it counts as "pocket money" as opposed to an actual wage because au pairs live in so don't need an official "wage"?

Do you live with them?
If you live with them then you will only get help if you are counted as a "tennant" with them - which I assume if you are earning your keep then technically you are. I would talk to the CAB and tell them all your details and see how it goes x

 

[kat2504]

I'm sorry I didn't mean to suggest you were breaking the law. What matters in terms of claiming maternity allowance is your National Insurance Contributions. If you haven't been paying any then unfortunately you will probably not be entitled. I think as an aupair, the wage is treated more like an "allowance" than a salary.

If you could get to be self employed with enough time to get 26 weeks worth of National Insurance contributions in before you stop, then you would be entitled to claim Maternity Allowance. However I'm not sure exactly how it works with self employment. Look up Maternity allowance on the direct.gov website.

 

[josephine3]

Hmm.. i am working part-time and as a result am not earning over the tax or NI bracket. I was under the impression I could still claim Maternity Allowance - i hope so anyway - either that or I believe th Jobcentre would pay us something equivalent to Jobseekers Allowance - I may get to citizens advice too.. its so bloody complicated all the info is conflicting!