Self Employed, Pregnant and worried

Ringa

Hi All,

im hoping you can advise as I'm a bit paniky. I am a self employed mobile hairdresser. I had a baby last year, our first. she is now 10 months old and I found out I'm pregnant again. although we are delighted to be having another baby I had hoped I could have gotten my business back off the floor, a bit of money saved before taking leave again.
I had just begun to get my business back again and in the meantime have been earning very little (most months 650 euro or less) with a substantial amount of outgoings (business loan, Revenue installment repayments for miscalculation of previous employee PRSI/PAYE plus other business running costs. This has resulted in a very large overdraft hole.
With things looking slightly up I thought I'll just work my butt off and get it paid however with the news of being pregnant it looks impossible and it may be a case that once I take leave again in late January that I will not have a business to come back to (it may take another 9 months to rebuild) but I won't financially be able to afford a scenario of a 9 month business rebuild.

My husband earns 32k.

what options are open to me in terms of state benefits? other than maternity pay last time I have never been on the dole or claimed for anyhting so I am absolutely clueless. Jobseekers allowance? Income Supplement?
Can anyone give me any direction, also because I paid very little income tax in my last tax return how does that effect my matenity benefits for next year?

Thanks SO much

g_moriarty

What makes you think you can claim jobseekers allowance? You have to be available for and genuinely seeking employment to claim that payment.

listermint

g_moriarty wrote: »

What makes you think you can claim jobseekers allowance? You have to be available for and genuinely seeking employment to claim that payment.

Get off your horse, OP is looking for advice and assistance.

I cant point you in the right direction OP, but maybe citizens advice can.

Best of luck.

Victor

Congratulations. You might also look here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=251

As you are self-employed, you can't get many unemployment benefits. Would you consider getting a paid position for the next while, even if its part-time?

I'm not sure, but later on you might (there are rules) be able to claim health and safety benefit as you are pregnant and willing to work but unable to work safely. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/health_safety_benefit.html

Maternity benefit is pay related, but I'm not sure exactly how much. Look here: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/maternity_benefit.html

Ringa

and what makes you think I won't be 'genuinely seeking employment'? ?

With 2 children and a bust company I think I'll be 'genuinely seeking employement' thanks, if indeed there doesn't seem to be an option of keeping a business together.
:mad:

I've had staff work for me, I often paid them alot more then I was getting myself, I had to let them go, they went on Social Welfare and I carried on. I've paid sick leave, I've supplemented maternity leave for staff and I desperately trying to make ends meet when I was jugglilng motherhood with work. That comment makes me very annoyed.

Cat Melodeon

g_moriarty wrote: »

What makes you think you can claim jobseekers allowance? You have to be available for and genuinely seeking employment to claim that payment.

Not a helpful post. OP wants advice on any and all income assistance and clearly doesn't know what she is eligible for, hence her post.

OP, really your best bet is to go and ask at your local SW office. You may be eligible for Family Income Supplement, depending on your net income. Maternity Benefit is calculated on the PRSI contributions you have paid rather than the amount of tax, and will be calculated on your payments in 2009 (I think). You will need to have paid 52 PRSI contributions in that year. Link here:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/maternity_benefit.html

In the meantime, go to your bank and see if you can swap your overdraft for a personal loan as the interest rate on the overdraft is probably killing you.

Ringa

listermint wrote: »

Get off your horse, OP is looking for advice and assistance.

I cant point you in the right direction OP, but maybe citizens advice can.

Best of luck.

Thank you for that

Ringa

Victor wrote: »

Congratulations. You might also look here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=251

As you are self-employed, you can't get many unemployment benefits. Would you consider getting a paid position for the next while, even if its part-time?

I'm not sure, but later on you might (there are rules) be able to claim health and safety benefit as you are pregnant and willing to work but unable to work safely. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/health_safety_benefit.html

Maternity benefit is pay related, but I'm not sure exactly how much. Look here: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/maternity_benefit.html

Thanks so much, I'm going to look into that.

g_moriarty

listermint wrote: »

Get off your horse, OP is looking for advice and assistance.

I cant point you in the right direction OP, but maybe citizens advice can.

Best of luck.

In fairness my comment was more helpful than "visit the citizens advice". There's no way she will be entitled to jobseekers allowance during her pregnancy and even still, she won't get it because of her husbands wages.

Ringa

Cat Melodeon wrote: »

Not a helpful post. OP wants advice on any and all income assistance and clearly doesn't know what she is eligible for, hence her post.

OP, really your best bet is to go and ask at your local SW office. You may be eligible for Family Income Supplement, depending on your net income. Maternity Benefit is calculated on the PRSI contributions you have paid rather than the amount of tax, and will be calculated on your payments in 2009 (I think). You will need to have paid 52 PRSI contributions in that year. Link here:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/maternity_benefit.html

In the meantime, go to your bank and see if you can swap your overdraft for a personal loan as the interest rate on the overdraft is probably killing you.

Thank you Cat, really helpful. I'm not sure about the PRSI contributions.I'll need to check that. I assume Revenue can check that for me?
Re: interest rate, you're right. I have decreased all my outgoings so that whatever I make can go straight into overdraft and chip away at it. It looks like that will take me a little longer noe with baby on the way so a personal loan might be the way to do it. Thanks again

Cat Melodeon

g_moriarty wrote: »

In fairness my comment was more helpful than "visit the citizens advice". There's no way she will be entitled to jobseekers allowance during her pregnancy and even still, she won't get it because of her husbands wages.

In tone and quality, no, it certainly was not more helpful. If she has paid PRSI contributions in her own right, she may be eligible for certain payments, regardless of her husband's income. If you can't guide her in the right direction - whether by giving her the information or by pointing her to where she can get the information - why bother responding in such a catty and unhelpful way?

Ringa

g_moriarty wrote: »

In fairness my comment was more helpful than "visit the citizens advice". There's no way she will be entitled to jobseekers allowance during her pregnancy and even still, she won't get it because of her husbands wages.

Sorry but your comment was in no way helpful it was arrogant and in fact really angered and upset me.
In 'Jobseekers' I was referring to AFTER baby is born and I may not have a business to return to.
As I stated I am not up on state benefits as thankfully was never in a position where I had to rely on them hence my query here.

listermint

g_moriarty wrote: »

In fairness my comment was more helpful than "visit the citizens advice". There's no way she will be entitled to jobseekers allowance during her pregnancy and even still, she won't get it because of her husbands wages.

Youve put your colours to the mast. Im done with your comments.

smcgiff

Family income support was something that came to mind.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_to_families_and_children/family_income_supplement.html


Your assessable earnings and your spouse/civil partner/cohabitant's assessable earnings. (Assessible earnings are gross pay minus tax, employee PRSI, Universal Social Charge and superannuation.)

Judging from what you've said you'd be entitled to a payment. As has been said above, call into your local citizen advice bureau with your husbands payslip.

Oh, yeah .... Congrats!!!!