Money during maternity and adoption: a guide for single parents - full version

Statutory Maternity Pay

If you are working, this is the minimum amount of maternity pay that your employer must pay you, if you qualify. You do not have to repay any of it if you decide not to return to work.

Do I qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay?
To qualify you must:

• have been employed by the same employer for at least 26 weeks up to the 15th week before your expected week of childbirth (this is called the qualifying week). This means you should have started working for your current employer before you became pregnant; and
• have average weekly earnings of least £97 (or £95 before April 2010). Your average earnings are worked out by looking at how much you were paid in the eight weeks (if paid weekly), or two months (if paid monthly), before the end of the 15th week before your expected week of childbirth.

How much will I receive?
Statutory Maternity Pay can be paid for up to 39 weeks and is paid at two different rates:

• the first six weeks are paid at 90 per cent of your average weekly earnings; and
• the remaining 33 weeks are paid at a standard rate of £124.88 per week or 90 per cent of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.

When can I get Statutory Maternity Pay?
You can get Statutory Maternity Pay from:

• the 11th week before your expected week of childbirth; or
• the first day of your absence if you are absent from work for a pregnancy-related illness in the four weeks before your expected week of childbirth; or
• the day your baby is born if this is before the date you planned to go on maternity leave.

If you are working you must give your employer 28 days notice of the date you wish your Statutory Maternity Pay to start, if this is possible.

If you do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay, you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, or Income Support (see below).

When your Statutory Maternity Pay ends, you may be able to claim Income Support if you do not return to work, or work less than 16 hours per week. If you are unable to return to work due to ill health you may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance.

Counting back from the expected week of childbirth

To work out whether you qualify for maternity benefits and when you can start to receive them, you need to know your expected week of childbirth. This is the week in which your baby is due to be born. For the purposes of working out maternity leave and pay, weeks start on a Sunday.

It can be helpful to use a calendar to work out dates. For example, if you want to work out when the 15th week before your expected week of childbirth starts, find the Sunday before your due date (unless your baby is due on a Sunday, in which case use the due date) and count back 15 weeks.

Statutory Paternity Pay

As a single parent you would receive this from your employer if you are the child’s father and you expect to have the main responsibility for the child’s care and upbringing. Non-resident fathers are not entitled to Statutory Paternity Pay.

Do I qualify for Statutory Paternity Pay?
The rules about whether you qualify are the same as for Statutory Maternity Pay (see above), except that to qualify for Statutory Paternity Pay you must still be employed by the same employer up to the birth of the baby.

How much will I receive?
Statutory Paternity Pay is paid for up to two weeks at the standard rate of £124.88 a week, or 90 per cent of your average earnings if that is lower. You do not have to repay it if you do not return to work after paternity leave.

When can I get Statutory Paternity Pay?
You can be paid on or following the child’s birth. Your paternity leave must be completed within eight weeks of the actual date of birth, or eight weeks after the expected date of birth if the baby is born early, or within eight weeks of the date of the child’s placement.

You must give your employer notice of when you intend to take leave at least 28 days before your paternity pay is due to start, or within seven days of the adoption agency telling you that you have been matched with a child.

Statutory Adoption Pay

Do I qualify for Statutory Adoption Pay?

To qualify for this, you have to satisfy similar conditions as for Statutory Maternity Pay (see above) except you must:

• have been continuously employed by the same employer for at least 26 weeks up to the week you were told that you had been matched with a child for adoption.
• have average weekly earnings of at least £97 (or £95 before April 2010). Your average earnings are worked out by looking at how much you were paid in the eight weeks (if paid weekly), or two months (if paid monthly), before the end of the 15th week before your expected week of childbirth.

How much will I receive?
Statutory Adoption Pay is £124.88 per week or 90 per cent of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. It can be paid for up to 39 weeks.

If you do not qualify for Statutory Adoption Pay, you may be entitled to get financial support from your local authority and/or the adoption agency.

When can I get Statutory Adoption Pay?
Your Statutory Adoption Pay can start either from the date of your child’s placement, or up to 14 days before the expected date of the placement. You must, where possible, give your employer at least 28 days notice of when you want your pay to start.

Maternity Allowance

If you do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay, you may qualify for Maternity Allowance. You may need to claim this if you are self-employed, have only recently been employed, or have changed your job during your pregnancy.

Do I qualify for Maternity Allowance?
To qualify you must:

• have worked for any 26 weeks (they do not have to be in a row) during the 66 weeks immediately before your expected week of childbirth; and
• have average weekly earnings of at least £30 per week. Your earnings can be averaged over any 13 weeks. You can add together earnings from more than one job and you should choose the weeks in which you earned the most. There are different rules for self-employed women – call the Single Parent Helpline for more information.

How much will I receive?
Maternity Allowance is paid for up to 39 weeks at a standard rate of £124.88 a week, or 90 per cent of your average earnings if that is lower.

When can I get Maternity Allowance?
If you are employed, your Maternity Allowance will be paid from the same date and for the same period as Statutory Maternity Pay (see above). If you are unemployed your Maternity Allowance begins at the start of the 11th week before your expected week of childbirth. Claim at Jobcentre Plus at least 14 weeks before your expected week of childbirth.

If you apply for Maternity Allowance but do not qualify, you will automatically be considered for Employment and Support Allowance.

Contractual Maternity, Paternity or Adoption Pay

Employment and Support Allowance

Do I qualify for Employment and Support Allowance?
To qualify for Employment and Support Allowance you must:

• not be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay, Maternity Allowance, or Statutory Sick Pay; and
• be unable to work due to your pregnancy or because you have recently given birth; or
• be pregnant and there would be a serious risk to your health or your baby’s health if you worked. It does not matter whether you have a job or not.

When can I get Employment and Support Allowance?
You can claim Employment and Support Allowance for pregnancy-related reasons from six weeks before your expected week of childbirth and up to two week after you have given birth. After this time, you may be able to get another benefi t, such as Income Support, if you do not work more than 16 hours per week.

You can also claim Employment and Support Allowance if you are unable to work due to ill health or disability not connected to your pregnancy. To claim in these circumstances you must pass a medical assessment. Apply at Jobcentre Plus.

How much will I receive?
Employment and Support Allowance is paid at a basic rate of £65.45 per week.

Tax credits

Tax credits are paid by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), and the amount you receive depends on your income and circumstances.

For more information about tax credits see Benefits and tax credits if you work 16 or more hours a week.

Having a baby or adopting a child may mean that you become entitled to tax credits for the first time or that the amount you already receive will change.

Working Tax Credit

This is for single parents who work 16 hours or more a week.

Working Tax Credit during maternity leave
If you were working before your maternity leave you may be able to receive Working Tax Credit during the first 39 weeks of your leave, even if you did not receive any before.

You may be able to receive (or continue to receive) Working Tax Credit from the beginning of your leave if immediately before your maternity, adoption or paternity leave you were:

• working 30 hours or more per week; or
• a single parent, or disabled and were working 16
  hours per week or more.

If you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit straight away, you may qualify after the birth of your baby. This is because after the birth of your baby you are immediately treated as a single parent for tax credit purposes. To qualify you must have been working at least 16 hours per week immediately before your maternity, adoption or paternity leave.

It does not matter whether or not you return to work after your leave, or whether you are entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay, Maternity Allowance or Statutory Adoption Pay.

Working Tax Credit after you return to work
If you return to work for 16 hours per week or more, you may also qualify for Working Tax Credit. This can include an amount towards the cost of registered childcare.

Childcare costs during maternity leave
If you are already receiving an amount with your Working Tax Credit for childcare costs for another child, this will continue during the first 39 weeks of maternity or adoption leave. You can also claim childcare costs for the new child during the first 39 weeks of maternity or adoption leave.

How do I claim tax credits?
To claim tax credits, or report a change of circumstances, call the Tax Credit Helpline on 0845 300 3900. You should tell them immediately when your circumstances change, for example, when you have a new baby, if your income changes or a new partner moves into your household. Contact them straight away so that you do not miss out on money your family is entitled to and do not create an overpayment that has to be paid back.

Tax credits can be confusing. If you are unsure, contact the Gingerbread Single Parent Helpline for advice on your situation.

Income Support

Do I qualify for Income Support?
You may qualify for Income Support:

• during your pregnancy and after the birth of your child if you do not qualify for Statutory Maternity or Adoption Pay, or Maternity Allowance;
• if you only receive a small amount of Statutory Maternity or Adoption Pay, or Maternity Allowance;
• during unpaid maternity leave, or after your Statutory Maternity or Adoption Pay, or Maternity Allowance has stopped.

If you are claiming Income Support during your pregnancy, you will need to notify Jobcentre Plus of the birth, as it is a change in your circumstances.

You may also qualify for Income Support after the birth of your baby if you do not work, or work less than 16 hours per week and your income is low enough for you to qualify. You can claim Income Support as a single parent until your youngest child is aged 10 (aged 7 from 25 October 2010).

If you are under the age of 18, someone in the family is disabled, or you have a mortgage, there are different rules that may apply to you. Call the Gingerbread Single Parent Helpline for more information.

How much will I receive?
Income Support pays a basic rate of £65.45 per week.

When can I get Income Support?
You can claim from 11 weeks before your expected week of childbirth, or earlier if you are incapable of work due to your pregnancy. You may also be able to claim Income Support when your Statutory Maternity or Adoption Pay, or Maternity Allowance ends after 39 weeks.

Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

Do I qualify for Jobseeker’s Allowance?
You can claim Jobseeker’s Allowance from Jobcentre Plus if you are unemployed and you have not yet reached the 11th week before your expected week of childbirth. You can claim Income Support from the 11th week before your expected week of childbirth (see above).

To qualify you must be available for and actively seeking work. If you are under 18, different rules apply to you. Contact the Single Parent Helpline for advice.

How much will I receive?
Jobseeker’s Allowance pays a fl at rate of £65.45 per week.

Money to help with children’s expenses

Child Benefit
This is paid to anyone who is responsible for a dependent child (or qualifying young person under the age of 20). It is £20.30 a week for your first child and £13.40 a week for any other children you have. You can claim Child Benefit regardless of whether
you are working or have any other income. Claim by contacting the Child Benefit Helpline  on 0845 302 1444 or visit the Child Benefit website.

Sure Start Maternity Grant
This is a one-off payment of £500. To qualify, you must receive one of the following:

• Income Support;
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance;
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance;
• Working Tax Credit, which includes the disability or severe disability element;
• Pension Credit; or
• more than the family element of Child Tax Credit. That is, you receive Child Tax Credit of more than £545 per year, or more than £1,090 a year if you have a child under one.

You can claim from 11 weeks before your expected week of childbirth, until three months after the birth. If you do not receive one of the above benefits during your pregnancy, you may not become entitled to a grant until after your baby is born. In this situation, claim Child Tax Credit and the grant as soon as possible after the birth. Your claim for the grant may be refused until your tax credits are awarded.

Once your tax credits have been awarded, contact Jobcentre Plus straight away and they can award you the grant if you now qualify.

If you are adopting a baby, you must claim within three months of the adoption and the child should be under 12 months old at the time of the claim.

To claim, get a form from Jobcentre Plus. Your midwife, doctor, or health visitor may also be able to give you a form and they must sign it to confirm that you have received advice about your own and your baby’s health.

Help with housing costs

Rent
If you pay rent and have a low income you may be entitled to Housing Benefit, which is paid by your local authority. Get a claim form from your local authority you can find the number in your local telephone directory.

Housing Benefit is means-tested, which means that the amount you receive depends on what other income you have. You can claim Housing Benefit even if you are working, as long as your income is low enough. The amount you receive is also affected by the number of people who live with you and the size of your home.

If you are under 25 and do not have children (including if you are pregnant with your first child), there are different rules that apply to you. Our factsheet Housing options for single parents has more information.

Council tax
Council Tax Benefit is also means-tested and paid by your local authority. If you are receiving benefits, or are working but on a low income, you may be entitled to help with the cost of council tax. If you are the only adult that is responsible for council
tax in your property, you should be entitled to a 25 per cent discount on your bill. This is different from Council Tax Benefit and applies regardless of your income.

Help with mortgage interest
If you are claiming Income Support, income based Jobseeker’s Allowance, or income-related Employment and Support Allowance, you may get help with your mortgage interest payments and some other housing costs. This cannot help you with capital repayments on your mortgage. The amount you receive depends on the size of your mortgage and when you took out the loan. A standard interest rate is used to calculate the amount paid to you. There is currently a “waiting period” of 13 weeks before mortgage interest payments start. So, you may need to plan ahead and make a claim for one of these benefits before you become entitled to receive it.

The rules for help with housing costs are complicated. For more information on your situation and advice on when to claim, contact the Gingerbread Single Parent Helpline.

Example of housing costs
Dina receives Statutory Maternity Pay and Working Tax Credit during her maternity leave. She does not receive Income Support because her income from these other benefits is too high. However, when her Statutory Maternity Pay and Working Tax Credit stop, her income drops and she becomes entitled to Income Support and this can include financial help towards her housing costs. To avoid a delay in receiving help with her housing costs, Dina is advised to claim Income Support from Jobcentre Plus before her Statutory Maternity Pay and Working Tax Credit claims end. Although she will not receive any Income Support whilst receiving these other benefits, she will begin the 13 week waiting period for help with housing costs. Dina will need to contact Jobcentre Plus again when her Statutory Maternity Pay and Working Tax Credit are about to end. As long as the first time she claimed Income Support was more than 13 weeks before her other benefits stop, she should receive help with housing costs as soon as her income drops.

Help with health costs

Free prescriptions and dental treatment
Free prescriptions and NHS dental treatment are available during your pregnancy and for 12 months after you have given birth. You can get an exemption certificate by completing a form available from your GP, midwife or health visitor.

Healthy Start scheme
If you qualify, you can get vouchers that can be exchanged for vitamins, cows milk (including infant formula), fresh fruit and vegetables.

Do I qualify for Healthy Start?
To qualify, you must be:

• pregnant and under the age of 18; or
• over the age of 18 and pregnant and/or have a child under 4 and entitled to one of the following benefits:
  - Income Support; or
  - income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance; or
  - income-related Employment and Support Allowance; or
  - Child Tax Credit but not Working Tax Credit
  and your household income for tax credit purposes is less than £16,190.

How do I claim Healthy Start vouchers?
To claim, complete the form in the Healthy Start leaflet available from maternity clinics and some doctors’ surgeries, or by calling their helpline on 0845 607 6823. More information and an online claim form is also available at www.healthystart.nhs.uk

Health in Pregnancy Grant
Most pregnant women can claim a one-off Health in Pregnancy Grant of £190, to help you to prepare for the birth of your baby. To qualify, you must be at least 25 weeks pregnant and have been given advice from a midwife or doctor during your pregnancy. You will not be asked about your income and the grant will not affect any other benefits or tax credits you receive. You can get a claim form from your midwife or doctor, who must sign it. Once the form has been signed, it must be received by HMRC within 31 days, or you will miss out on the grant. The form should contain details of where to send it.

Grants and loans from the Social Fund

Grants and loans from the Social Fund
If you are entitled to Income Support, income based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance you may qualify for a Community Care Grant or an interest-free Budgeting Loan from the Social Fund at Jobcentre Plus. You may need to apply for a grant or loan to cover the expenses of having a new child that have not been met by the Sure Start Maternity Grant (see page 5).

In an emergency or disaster you can apply for a Crisis Loan at your local Jobcentre Plus office. You can apply regardless of your income, if you do not have enough money for your immediate needs. You do not need to be claiming benefits to apply.

For more information on Social Fund loans and grants see our factsheet Financial help for unexpected or extra expenses.

Key dates for claiming financial help during the maternity or adoption period

• Before the birth
  

The dates below relate to the weeks before your expected week of childbirth (EWC).

Between the 23rd and 15th week before EWC

• The weeks used to work out your average earnings for Statutory Maternity Pay.

15 weeks before the EWC

• The qualifying week for Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance.
• You must give your employer notice of the date you want to start your leave and pay by the end of this week.
  

14 weeks before EWC

• Claim the Health in Pregnancy Grant.
  

11 weeks before EWC

• This is the earliest you can start your maternity leave and the earliest date that Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance may be paid.
• You can claim Income Support.
• You can claim the Sure Start Maternity Grant, if you receive one of the qualifying benefits.
  

6 weeks before EWC

• You can claim Employment and Support Allowance (if you are not entitled to Maternity Allowance or another benefit).
  

4 weeks before EWC

• Illness can now trigger maternity leave.
• Remember that you must give your employer 28 days notice to get maternity pay if you have not already done so.

When you start maternity leave

• If you are over 25 and have been working 30 or more hours a week, check if you are entitled to Working Tax Credit.
• Check if you will become entitled to Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

• Claim Child Benefit.
• Claim tax credits, if you are not already doing so.
• If you are already receiving tax credits, call the Tax Credit Helpline and report the change in your circumstances.
• If you were working more than 16 hours per week and were not getting Working Tax Credit before your maternity leave, check to see if you are now entitled.
• Check if you are now entitled to Income Support (see page 3), Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
• Think about setting up a child maintenance arrangement with your child’s other parent, if you have not already done so. See our factsheet Making arrangements for child maintenance for more information.
• If you have not already done so, apply for the Sure Start Maternity Grant.

Problems receiving benefits during maternity and adoption

Further help and information

Gingerbread Single Parent Helpline
Freephone 0808 802 0925
www.gingerbread.org.uk
(Open Mondays to Fridays, 9.00am – 5.00pm, with extended opening on Wednesdays to 8.00pm)
Free information on a range of issues including maintenance, benefi ts, tax credits, debt, employment, education, legal rights and holidays.

Gingerbread Single Parent Information Online
www.gingerbread.org.uk
All our information for single parents available online.

Child Maintenance Options
0800 988 0988
www.cmoptions.org
Information about making arrangements for child support.

Citizens Advice Bureau
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Check your telephone directory for your local bureau or find details at www.citizensadvice.org.uk, for information and advice on a wide range of issues.

Child Benefit Helpline
0845 302 1444
To make a claim for Child Benefit.

Child Trust Fund
0845 302 1470
www.childtrustfund.gov.uk
To find out more about the Child Trust Fund.

Department for Work and Pensions
Jobcentre Plus Benefi ts Enquiries: 0800 055 6688
Textphone: 0800 243 355
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
Processes new claims and claim renewals for welfare benefits and social fund grants and loans.

Tax Credit Helpline
0845 300 3900
www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits
For information about tax credits and to make a claim.
Claim forms are also available on the website.

The Immigration Advisory Service
0141 248 2956
www.iasuk.org
Provides free advice and representation in immigration and asylum law to those who are eligible.

Parent Helpline
0808 801 0323
www.opfs.org.uk
Provides confidential advice and information for single parents in Scotland

Working Families
0800 013 0313
www.workingfamilies.org.uk
Provides advice and information about employment rights for working parents, including rights during maternity and adoption.

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