Payments/money

Does anyone know what help you get being pregnant? Obviously I have to wait until I’m over so many weeks but my work laid me off straight away when they found out i was pregnant due to working around drug users. Now I have to claim UC whilst trying to find another job which is likely gonna be impossible because no where will take me on pregnant 🙈 also I won’t get any maternity pay from any jobs so what am I entitled to? My entitlement at the minute is £330 a month UC and they pay towards my rent too, what will I get once I’m over so many weeks and once baby is born?

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I am/was a care worker for quite a new care company. It was only my 3rd week in when I found out I was pregnant and all the calls around my area take heroin/crack but smoke it in front of you so they had no choice really as it could harm me and the baby 🥲 x

Depends what area your from. Scotland get additional payments. Look up the best start grant and best start foods. Go on entitled to website and put in your details and just put it as baby has been born and it’ll tell you exactly what you’ll get xx

If they have lay you off because of the pregnancy you can get them for unfair dismissal or discrimination

@Abigail they had no choice as it’s working around heroin users and I wasn’t comfortable with the idea anyway

You should call the Pregnant Then Screwed advice line: https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/your-rights/ It’s against the law for you to be fired for being pregnant as it’s a protected characteristic. Your work needs to make reasonable adjustments for you, e.g. working a desk job during your pregnancy, or even allowing you to stay home with full pay for example. If you decide not to fight this and stay unemployed, you may be eligible for maternity allowance: https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance It’s a similar amount to SMP, but you get the lower statutory amount straight away instead of the 6 weeks at 90%.

So it’s illegal to get rid of someone becuase of pregnancy and they have to offer you alternative work. However if you were only there 3 weeks as an employer myself any company has up to 2 years to lay someone’s off and not need a reason at all. But I wouldn’t know about help with Mowbray sorry

@Bea there is no other suitable job for me to do, I was a care worker and the only jobs in my area I could do was around drug users. I will have a look at this thanks

I think if there’s no alternative work, you should be on paid leave as it is illegal to get rid of you because of pregnancy

I believe if your getting UC if it's your first child you can apply for a grant from the gov I think its only £500 but its better than nothing xx

From 10 weeks off pregnancy you can apply for a healthy start card when pregnant you get £17 a month and when baby is here i think its £37 a month till they are 1, this is for formula, cows milk and veg but in all honesty i get my food shop with it lol and can be used in most supermarkets. From 29 weeks you can apply for a government maternity which is a 1 off payment of £500 for your first baby. And once baby is here you will get £287.92 a month from UC x

@katie thank you, is the £287 on top of normal UC? Xx

@katie are you never scared you get caught lol. I used to get odd bits here and there but always scared I’d be caught out xx

yes so you’ll still get what you normally get plus that, forgot to say when babies here you’ll get £102 child benefit every month unless you choose to have it weekly x

@Hayley i was the first few times but a lot of staff either dont know what they are or dont care i just use self service ive been getting my food shop with it every month for a year lol xx