No standard benefits.
I’ve been working for about 18 months as a driver for a company that provides transport to hospitals. When I joined I had been unemployed for about 9 months so I was very keen to find work.
When the company said I had to be self-employed I agreed although many of my employed friends are entitled to sick pay when off work due to illness and maternity pay when having a baby.
Now I’m pregnant and I haven’t been feeling well. My GP says I shouldn’t be working long hours and will soon need to give up work entirely as driving all day is becoming too uncomfortable. The company have said I can give up whenever I like but they won’t pay for my time away from work, although they would obviously like at least a couple of weeks’ notice before I stop working.
What steps can I take to try and maintain some level of income during the last few weeks of pregnancy and my baby’s first year? My partner is also self-employed but is only working about 16-18 hrs a week so our joint income is just sufficient to get by. If my income drops, we won’t be able to afford the basics, rent and council tax etc.