Pregnancy - Customer UnemployedExisting Benefits
New Benefits
Existing Benefits
Income Support/Jobseeker's AllowanceUp to 11 weeks before the week the baby is due, as an expectant mother their Jobseeker's Allowance will not be affected provided they satisfy the conditions on "availability for work and actively seeking work".
14 weeks before the expected date of confinement, the customer should obtain form MAT B1 from their doctor/midwife and submit it, as verification, to the local Social Security or Jobs & Benefits office.
If an expectant mother's partner receives Jobseeker's Allowance (Contribution based), this will not be affected.
If an expectant mother's partner receives Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based) and an increase is paid for the expectant mother any Maternity Allowance or Incapacity Benefit payable will have to be taken into account.
If the customer, or they and their partner, are getting Income Support / Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based) they can get the following help:
It is the responsibility of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) to issue Healthy Start Vouchers. If the customer wishes to claim Healthy Start Vouchers and vitamins they should contact the DHSSPS.
Written verification of the customer's pregnancy must be obtained (for example, MAT B1) from either her doctor or midwife as soon as pregnancy is confirmed.
Most other benefits received will be taken into account when entitlement to Income Support/Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based) is being assessed, including:
The customer's Housing Benefit will not be affected if they or their partner are pregnant.
New Benefits
Sure Start Maternity Grant (Social Fund)If the customer or their partner are receiving:
they could qualify for a Sure Start Maternity Grant to help pay for things for a new baby. If they are adopting a baby they can apply for a payment if the baby is not more than 12 months old when they apply. They can apply up to three months after the date of the adoption order. A Sure Start Maternity Grant may also be awarded if there has been a surrogate birth and a parental order has been obtained.
The payment is £500 for each baby expected, born, adopted, or subject to a parental order.
Any capital the customer or partner has will not affect the amount of the award.
To claim, the customer should ask their local Social Security or Jobs & Benefits office for claim form SF 100. If she is expecting a baby, she can apply at any time from 11 weeks before the week her baby is due, until her baby is three months old.
Maternity Allowance can be paid for up to 39 weeks starting from the 11th week before the week in which their baby is due.
To get Maternity Allowance the customer must satisfy two conditions, the employment condition and the earnings condition.
To satisfy the employment condition the customer must have been employed or self-employed in at least 26 weeks in the test period. The test period is the period of 66 weeks up to and including the week before the week in which the baby is due.
To satisfy the earnings condition the customer must have earned at least £30 a week on average from all her employments. This £30 a week minimum is called the Maternity Allowance Threshold (MAT).
Extra benefit may be added to the customer's Maternity Allowance if they support their husband or an adult who is caring for their child or qualifying young persons.
To claim, a customer should complete form MA 1 which they can get from their local Social Security or Jobs & Benefits office.
The form should be completed and sent to Incapacity Benefits Branch not more than 14 weeks before the week their baby is due.
The customer has to ensure they send their maternity certificate (form MAT B1), which their doctor or midwife will give them, with their MA 1.
If the customer's Maternity Allowance claim is disallowed, they may be able to continue to claim Jobseeker's Allowance after the beginning of the 11th week before the week in which their baby is due if they are available for and capable of work.
For full details on Maternity Allowance see leaflet NIL17A, "A guide to maternity benefits".
If the customer does not qualify for Maternity Allowance they may be able to get Incapacity Benefit.
Their maternity certificate is accepted as evidence of incapacity for work for the period starting six weeks before the week their baby is due to two weeks after the actual date of birth.
If their Maternity Allowance is not allowed their right to Incapacity Benefit will be considered automatically, a separate claim is not needed, but they must claim no more than three months after their baby is born.
If the customer is already in receipt of Incapacity Benefit they should obtain form MAT B1 from their doctor or midwife and submit it to Incapacity Benefit Branch as soon as possible.
They will issue the customer with form MA 1 to claim Maternity Allowance at the appropriate time.
If Maternity Allowance is awarded this will affect any payment of Incapacity Benefit the customer receives or is paid for them.
Automatic Entitlement
Others
Entitlement to the following is not automatic:
If a customer is claiming free HS Treatment on the grounds of low income, they should claim on form HC1 which they can get from a Social Security or Jobs & Benefits office, hospital, dentist, optician or family doctor.
The customer will need to fill in form HC5 if they have already paid and want a refund of health costs for HS dental treatment, sight tests, HS wigs and fabric supports, and necessary travel costs to and from hospital for HS treatment.
To claim a refund of prescription charges the customer must obtain a receipt form PS7 at the time the charge was paid.
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