Maternity Allowance paid by Job Centre

[Hellokitty]

Hi girls, hoping for a little advice here.

I'm self-employed and therefore have to claim MA via social security.

So about 4 weeks ago I went to the Job centre plus place and filled all the forms in. Now I have heard absolutely nothing from them at all.

I have tried to phone themfor the last 2 days but their line is permanently engaged!

Just wondered what others had experienced? Should I stop worrying and hope the money just turns up in my bank?

 

[mummykay]

ring DWP and give them ur Nat insurance number and they will tell u what is happening with ur application!
i had to wait a month before it came in and it was a nice big chunk lol!

 

[Dinski]

I got a form through the post saying how much I would be getting and when it would start. They also sent me back all the payslips and stuff you have to send them. I had sent in my application by post in the first place though, not via the Job Centre. The first payment just appeared in my bank account as did the second. There was a contact number on the top of the form I received back and I know that different post codes are dealt with by different areas. I think the main MA centre is in Scotland and they will look up your case/any queries you have according to your NI number. If you have chosen to be paid 4 weekly you will get an accumulative payment which is backdated from the day you are entitled to start receiving MA.

It did take them some time to get back to me after I'd sent in my claim, more than a month if I remember correctly.

 

[Becks&Riley]

how long has it been?

 

[jenna]

Should I stop worrying and hope the money just turns up in my bank?

When ever the job centre is concerned i wouldnt just sit back and hope you get paid because you wont. They'll probebly say theyve lost it or whatever. Id keep trying

 

[Misslarue]

I'm self employed too and as long as you've been paying your class 2 national insurance contributions you will receive the full amount £112 per week and you won't have to provide wage slips (or working out your test period) as it will then be assumed that you earned more than £30 per week. I heard back almost straight away. I didn't go through the job centre, I just did it online through the government website

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DG_4017811

 

[claire81]

They contacted me within 2 weeks, maybe email them?

 

[Minime]

Mine was really quick too so give them a ring

 

[Hellokitty]

Finally managed to get through to them after an hour or so of trying!

Turns out they have lost my application. Which of course includes my Mat B1, so I have to get a duplicate of that now!

They have sent me another sent of forms and they have told me if I send a cover note explaining the 'loss' then it will be treated as urgent.

Apparently the job centre shouldn't have accepted the forms from me in the first place and as dinski said they should have been sent in via mail.

Oh well....Twats!