Hello,

I'm nearing the end of my Phd and have just found about I am pregnant. I am very excited to be having a baby but have no idea how we will cope financially!

I have received a university based studentship for the last 3 years and I have approx. 6 months left to go on the PhD. My studentship ends this month so this means living off savings for 6 months! The baby is due 2 months after I plan to finish. To add to our financial dilemma, my partner has recently gone back to school and receives a university studentship. He is also about to leave the country on fieldwork for 6 months and I was planning to go along too to finish writing up.

My only option seems to be to sack off the PhD, get a temp job and not leave the country with him, but I am desperately seeking alternatives. It seems somewhat unfair that I am not eligible for any sort of maternity pay as technically I have been unemployed/ a student for the last three years (despite the fact I am paid a regular monthly allowance.)

Is this correct? Has anyone else been in this situation and how did you cope?

Thanks x

I htink you need to go ans speak to Citizens Advice or similar - they will be able to guide you to what you might be eligible for. I think there are a couple of difficulties - one is that maternity pay is linked to national insurance so that although you have had a monthly allowance it is NOT income (not taxed and no NI paid) - in that respect you are no different to someone who has not been working (eg stay at home mums) who don't get maternity pay either. Even if you were being paid a salary you are effectively on a fixed contract (3 years) which will have ended month before the birth - in these circumstances you would not get maternity pay for a job you had finished months before the baby was born. You may be entitled to some sort of maternity grant so but citizen's advice can advice you on that.

Can you work while writing up so that at least the PhD doesn't get abandoned but you will be earning an income? Lots of us are working full time whiel doing our PhDs so it is possible. Depending on where your partner is going for fieldwork you probably need to bin the idea of going along - it woudl complicate your antenatal care and may be prohibitively expensive as normal travel insurance would not cover you for care. If I were you I woudl see what I was elligible for benefits wise, look at taking a temp job and then work like mad to juggle the job and writing up. Based on my experience of submitting my MA dissertation three weeks before I gave birth I think it woudl be really hard to pick the PhD up with a new born baby.

Hello Catnat

First of all, congratulations on your pregnancy!

I have returned from a year out on maternity and was lucky enough to receive SMP as a GTF, but I also received some maternity pay from University as part of my bursary (which I didn't even know existed), so I guess you should let your postgraduate office know, provided you are comfortable talking to them about it at this early stage in your pregnancy.

Depending on your due date and yourPhD completion date, they might be able to help, or at least point you in the right direction.

Best of luck with it all x

Thanks for the reply. I have had a look at directgov website but it doesnt appear to have advice for my specific situation - next step will be to talk to someone in an office somewhere. I think in reality a temp job whilst writing up in the UK is my best option. Damn reality!

Apologies for my previous post - I think I may have misread you. I guess a temp job is in fact your best bet, although I wouldn't dismiss talking to your Postgrad Office as chances are others before you were in the same boat so they might be able to advise you.

I know of a student who was able to extend her studentship and got extra money whilst writing up, so you could enquire about that.

I take it you will still be considered a student during the next 6 months - have you considered applying for the Access For Learning Fund?

I will be considered a student in overtime. I won't be getting paid but will still be a student. I had no idea about the access to learning fund. That looks like something worth looking into more. Brilliant! Thanks so much x

Good luck with it all x