Aargh! Maternity Allowance Applications! Any got any advice?

[CharlieC]

OMG I am about to blow a gasket!!

As I don't qualify for SMP with my employer due to length of service I've had to apply for Maternity Allowance a benefit provided by the government which is approximately £114.00 per week. So I filled in the form online and my first hurdle was that on the webpage it tells you to ring job centre plus and they will tell you to which address to send the form too. No fecker at the job centre plus knew where to send it to, eventually I got one person who said to send it to.. wait for it..

Maternity Allowance Unit
St Leopolds Way
Birmingham
Longton
Stoke on Trent
BN1

Now I said to her.. that can't be right!! But she swore that's what her file said so it must be right. Eventually looked up an old thread on here and took the advice given and sent my application to my local job centre plus (recorded mail). That was two weeks ago and obviously the longer you leave it the less money you may receive so rang my local job centre who gave me three numbers to ring (01782 426044, 01782 426042, 01782 426037) which no matter when I ring are always engaged! Then light at the end of the tunnel tried another random number (01782 426000) which took me through to Job Centre Plus in Hanley, Stoke on Trent, lady there told me "oh I believe that department has changed location, although we don't know a lot about it here" but she did give me another number to try and guess what??? that's constantly engaged too! So I'm just wondering how on earth do you get through to anyone at the Maternity allowance to find out how your claim is progressing! I'm so mad I could SCREAM! No one at the job centre or benefits knows anything!!!

Please.. does anyone have any advice?

 

[Bee]

I had this too - had to call to tell him Finlay arrived early and its all being switched over to another place or soemthing. We called a direct number that was on the letter they sent me

Also its gone up to £117 something now

 

[sarafet]

my nightmare with maternity allowance

http://www.pregnancyforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=76433

fingers crossed yours processes a lot easier than mines, that was a nightmare. i have a number here which i have phoned A LOT over the month, but it goes through to an office in scotland, they deal with the apps here. i know they all recently changed offices though, so if you want i can give you the number and they will probs be able to put you through to your local office? let me know hun

xxx

 

[CharlieC]

Hi Sarafet,

Please could you let me have the number that you were calling?

Thanks

 

[sarafet]

here you go - 0845 6088645.

and it's option 3

let me know how you get on

 

[abcd1234]

I had enough dificulty with my maternity pay and i got it from my employer. They refused to accept i was pregnant unitl i was 29 weeks, then there was confusion over whether id get it at all.

I dont have any advice really, just keep trying, or if numbers wont work maybe try going down there in person (though i went in once and left, it was FULL of people and no queuing system)

Whenever i try ringing mine to ask about stuff ( i need to know what i'll be entitle to benefit wise and the online thing says "based on your household income of... (uses my income) but i live with my parents, but theres nowhere in the online thing to say that or put their income in) i get a lovely friendly msg saying "we're busy" and hangs up on me!!

It confuses me know, so god knows how i'm gonna do it when shes here and i'm busy and sleep deprived!

hopw you get it sorted soon

 

[CharlieC]

Hi there,

Thanks Sarafet for that number, next time I'm alone in the office I'll give them a call and let you know how I get on.

Thanks everyone else for your advice/moral support as it seems I'm not the only one with these frustrations!

Charlotte. x

 

[skimpy]

Hi there, just joining your club as i m having roblems in this dept too.

got my mat allowance sorted out last week and received £303, as they dragged their heels so long in sorting it out that i was long overdue payment.

anyways, today i call them to check everything is ok and i will be getting my payment this friday. good job i did, as they havent sorted it, they have romised to do it tomorrow and i will hopefully get my pament on saturday.

so i suppose my advice is, even once it appears to be sorted, keep phoning them, as it seems that it i too easy for them to muck it up.

hope you get your sorted soon. if things get bad, demand a supervisor (they are obliged to return your call within 24hrs) and you will probably find the proces a whole lot easier once a manager is involved.

 

[LilysMummy]

Dont gove up!

They are shocking. I applied in NOVEMBER and got my first payment in APRIL. Yes Longotn in the correct office they have all mooved about.

I spent 2.5hrs ringing that number and I mean as soon as I heard the engaged tone i hung up and hit redial. Try doing that with a screaming baby

And when I got through they said "Oh we just need to confirm when you went on mat leave and when you wanted payments to start"

BUT I did get my whole backpayment £2500! They only thing that stopped me making an official complaint!

 

[Suzie and Faith]

sorry you've all had hassle! i delivered my app by hand. had a letter about a week later with a form with extra info they needed. A week and a half later (poss due to bank hol) the payment an back payment was there and i've had no probs!!

It must be really annoying for you guys! i mean we NEED this money! So grr to them!

 

[xJodieLoux]

I got my form from my local job centre plus and it has an envelope with it with an address already on, it's a sheffield address. I haven't filled it in yet because I have just claimed income support and was told to wait a couple of weeks before applying for mat allowance so the income support has a chance to get sorted first. Also I'm waiting for my MATB1 form to come back from them, I might ask the midwife for another when I see her today though because I don't know how long I will be waiting for that.