1. Benefits in pregnancy GP Teaching 27 th July 2010

2. Health in pregnancy Grant One-off grant of £190: –≥25 weeks pregnant or more –Have been given health advice from a midwife or doctor –'Ordinarily resident' and have a 'right to reside' in the UK Claim form from midwife or doctor, send claim form to HM Revenue and Customs.

3. Statutory Maternity Pay Statutory Maternity Pay is paid by the employer for up to 39 weeks. –Have been employed by the same employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth this means that you must have worked for the same employer throughout your pregnancy. –You should also earn at least as much as the lower earnings limit each week the lower earnings limit is the level of wages where national insurance contributions start

4. Maternity Allowance Maternity Allowance is a benefit for women who have been working but who do not meet the work and earnings conditions for Statutory Maternity Pay. –Need to been working for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before due to give birth (it doesn’t matter if these weeks are split up, or if they are not all for the same employer). –Need to have been earning at least £30 a week on average. This can be from employed work or self-employed work. = 90% of average earnings or £124.88 a week, whichever is less for up to 39 weeks –the earliest it can start to be paid is the 11th week before baby is due. The latest it can start is just after baby is born Form MA1 from Antenatal clinics, local benefits office, Job Centre Plus, Direct Gov website,

5. Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) For those not entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance (have not been working recently) –ESA (from 27 October 2008 Employment and Support Allowance replaced Incapacity Benefit and Income Support paid on incapacity grounds). Income Support can be claimed ≥ 29 weeks’ pregnant, or earlier if incapable of work because of the pregnancy (depend on the stage of the pregnancy and whether there would be a risk to mother’s or baby's health). Jobseeker’s Allowance if ≤ 29 weeks and capable of work

6. Maternity grants from the Social Fund Claim maternity grant on form SF100 (Sure Start) from local benefit offices or antenatal clinics: –If ≥ 29 weeks’ pregnant or has given birth to a child within the last three months. –The mother of a dependent child (for who you are getting Child Benefit) who is pregnant or has given birth in the last three months, can claim a maternity grant for her. But the child may be able to claim the maternity grant herself. –If (or partner) on Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Pension Credit at the time of the claim.

7. Statutory Paternity Pay A working father, or partner of a woman having a child (including a same-sex partner), may be able to get Statutory Paternity Pay for two weeks during paternity leave. For those not entitled to Statutory Paternity Pay (perhaps because they have not worked for long enough) but receive Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or tax credits may be entitled to Income Support during paternity leave. See CAB.

8. Paternity and Jobseeker’s Allowance The rules about how having a child affects Income Support and Jobseeker’s Allowance are complicated. If you are claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance as a couple and your partner is pregnant, you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau.

9. Healthy start vouchers Some people on low incomes can get healthy start vouchers which can be exchanged for free milk, fruit or vegetables. –A) > 10wks pregnant and getting: Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance Child Tax Credit but are not getting Working Tax Credit and income is low enough Working Tax Credit for an extra four weeks after stopping working or reducing working hours to <16 per week. –B) Also, if you are a member of the family of someone who is on these benefits, and you are pregnant you can also get healthy start vouchers (a member of the family in this case is an opposite sex partner, same- sex partner or dependent child of the person who is getting one of these benefits) –C) <18y.o and pregnant, regardless of how much income you or your family have coming in. Claim form from midwife or doctor or from the Healthy Start website (www.healthystart.nhs.uk).

10. Misc Free vitamins –If ≥10 wks pregnant (or have a child <4y.o) & : –getting Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance or receiving Child Tax Credit (and not entitled to Working Tax Credit) and the income is low enough. Other help with health costs –If on low income: free prescriptions free dental treatment and check-ups free eyesight tests vouchers for glasses or contact lenses (optical vouchers) travel costs to hospital.

11. References http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/be nefits/benefits_for_families_and_children.h tmhttp://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/be nefits/benefits_for_families_and_children.h tm