Maternity Allowance - qualify?

[Laura_C]

Hi girls,

I have just taken voluntary redundancy at work, they have just told me that I was the one up for redundancy so I negotiated a little and took VR.

What I want to know is I will be unemployed as of 31st March so will I qualify for Maternity Allowance as baby is due on 29th October. I think I do but I can't remember everything about qualifying weeks etc. I have been working full time with no gaps in employment for this employer for the last 9 years. As of 31st March there are 30 weeks left before baby is due. Will I def be entitled? I would be possibly looking at claiming from September, maybe 4 weeks before baby is due, is that how it works?

 

[ZMD]

I think you will be entitled to it Hun as far i remember its Aslong as you've been employee for Atleast 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before baby is due. hope i've made sense lol! x

 

[ShadowWolf]

AS i remember it when I applied for MA, I had to send in 13 payslips (I was paid weekly so it's less for monthly earners) that I had recieved in the last 66 weeks. They could be any payslips I liked and they didn't have to be in order so if you get different pay each month you choose your 13 highest slips and then they work out what your MA pay will be. My average was luckily just high enough to qualify for the standard amount and seing as I'd been off sick and on £50 a week for about 6 months (ESA), MA was actually an increase in income for me!

xx