Maternity Allowance shambles - grrr!

[peanut1982]

A quick warning to anyone self-employed and hoping to receive Maternity Allowance - start saving as soon as you get your BFP!!!

I've applied for Maternity Allowance to start from 29th Sept (next monday). Got all my forms in on the earliest day possible back in July, but having heard nothing back from them, I rang today to check on progress of my application. They have nothing on the system for my NI number as yet which means my application hasn't been looked at apparently, and can give me know idea of when it will be processed, although did eventually get out of him that they hope to clear the backlog by the new year. He couldn't give me an idea of whether it would be days, weeks or months, which isn't much use.

I don't really have any option but to continue working up til the birth now or until the payment comes through if it magically does before then BUT as I'm doing this I'll lose my right to Maternity Allowance for the weeks that I still work

Sorry for the ramble, just pooped off with the system in this country, grrr!!! I've been working and paying my taxes for 10 years now and have never claimed any form of benefit off the government before.

Doesn't help that I visited my cousin, partner and 4 kids last night. Neither of them work as they would have less money if they did apparently - at the moment they get benefits to pay their mortgage, council tax and goodness knows what else My partner and I work over 40hrs a week each but no chance of us affording a plasma screen like the one in their front room!!

Pregnant Lady rant over, off to raid my piggy bank!

S x

 

[kalia]

I'm sorry to hear this. Remember you can take 10 Keeping In Touch days and be paid for them without it affecting your MA. I think you need to call them and see if they can find where your application is. If, for example, they decide they need different payslips, the form was signed too soon or they misplace your matb1 the wait would be even longer!

It is intriguing to hear about your cousin. I don't think you can get benefits towards your mortgage, I thought it was only for renting. Having 4 children would be very expensive and the childcare would cost so much if they were both working but I would have thought they would get more tax credits if one of the worked at least a few hours per week. They should maybe look into it.

Your advice to people to save is a really good one. SMP/MA is not enough to live on so saving makes the time after baby is here a lot less stressful. OH was laid off when DD was 6 weeks old so he should be getting Jobseekers of £60 a week but is having to appeal because they screwed up. I get SMP we get child benefit and child tax credits. So currently an income of less than £200 a week. Fortunately OH and I saved from getting that BFP so we are doing just fine.

 

[claireyfairey]

Hiya, just wanted to let you know you're not alone on this one! I sent my forms off back in July, along with payslips etc from my previous employer. I queried it about 2 weeks ago as I too hadn't heard anything and was told the same schlock! That they had a backlog etc and that they couln't find me on their database. I had quite a few angry phonecalls with various people and argued that it's no good to me, I NEED to know thatt they have my forms and that they haven't been lost in the post etc - naturally I need to know that someone has it and that it will eventually be dealt with, I need the money! Anyway I was advised to make a second claim and send it by recorded delivery...which I've done but obviously if they find my first claim that's the one that will be processed, if not I will have to wait another 2 - 3 months for the bloody money

It's hugely frustrating but I think it's the same around the country - it's bloody ridiculous, they need to log ALL the post they receive so we can at least know if they are dealing with our claims at some point! Grrr!


I feel for you hun

 

[nori]

I agree the system sucks!!! Makes me mad too.. The more you contribute to society the less you get!

Claire x

 

[Minime]

OMG like you need the stress right now!!! This is absolutely disgusting! You both sent forms back in good time and are now being told potentially you have nothing to live on at what should be the happiest time of your life! What a discrace! Could you speak to someone higher up about this as its really not on

 

[Morganuk]

Everything takes so blimming long doesnt it

Normally once its registered on the system then its goes through quite quick.

 

[moss]

I know this is an old post but I got my MA weeks late because they were apparently centralising and had a big backlog. They said I wouldn't get it until the end of October but I have been getting it for three (?) weeks now. If it had taken as long as they said, Jacob would be two months before I got anything. My savings was swallowed by problems we had in the past year, so I had to live on a credit card. My husband was actually told by CAB that we would be better off if he quit his job and went on benefits! We aren't willing to do that, but it is disgusting that the system means even the CAB would say that.

So yes. Do save!

 

[nazmomi]

I'm sure the Maternity Allowance office is staffed by monkeys!!! I didn't get a penny until my LO was almost 4 months old even though I applied as early as possible. They closed my claim as the needed diff payslips (though they didn't bother telling me that !) and I had to appeal.

And as for your cousin , yea i'm sure it's bloody hard with 4 kids, but I hve 3 and another on the way and my OH works full time and I work part time and study. It is do-able!!