Q4. I am pregnant, what financial help may I be entitled to?

A. You may be entitled to Maternity Allowance (MA) if you do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay from your employer, have stopped work because you are pregnant or have recently stopped work. MA can be claimed after the 26th week of pregnancy. Your doctor can give you certificate MAT B1 to give to the Department of Work and Pensions when making a claim. If you don’t work or don’t earn enough to claim MA you may be entitled to Income Support (IS) or Incapacity Benefit (IB). The rules around benefits are often complex and we would always suggest a benefit check with an advisor to check entitlement.

There is a grant of £500 available to expectant or new mothers and their partners to buy things for the baby. This grant is called the Sure Start Maternity Grant. If you receive any of the following benefits then you may be entitled to this grant but there are other conditions so it’s best to check with an advisor. GIC have the Sure Start Maternity Grant forms available in the centre.

• Income Support
• Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit