Am I eligible to get benefit for my pregnancy?

[Kellychoi]

Hello
I am holding FLR(M) 5 year route(spouse visa). I am not working and I am pregnant(26weeks) and my husband is getting income based jobseeker allowance. Am I eligible to get benefit for my pregnancy and after child birth? if not, is my husband eligible for it?

Many thanks

[John]

Ok so you are not working now. But have you ever worked in the UK? If so for how long? And when did you give up work?

[Kellychoi]

No, I haven't worked in the UK.

[John]

I was wondering if you might be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay, or failing that, to Maternity Allowance. But as you have paid no National Insurance contributions in the UK and MA is only paid if you are "employed or self-employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before the week your baby is due", you are not entitled to that.

But you are entitled to free NHS Prescriptions and free NHS Dentistry during the pregnancy and also for a further one year thereafter. But at the moment given "my husband is getting income based jobseeker allowance", currently you are entitled to those anyway.

But still apply to get your own NHS Exemption Card, because that will apply even after your husband returns to work.

After the birth a claim for Child Benefit should be made, and also for Child Tax Credit.