Maternity Allowance

[jenni16]

I've finally got all the bits I need off my employer so have been filling in the dorms for MA this morning. Just before Christmas my hours were cut from 24 down to 12 so I've been stressing about how we're going to afford things while I'm not working with another drop in my income, as you get 90% of your average wage. I thought the qualifying weeks worked the same as SMP (weeks 17-25 or thereabouts).
Well I've looked at all the paperwork properly this morning and the test period they calculate my pay from runs from Feb 15 to May this year. If I'm reading it right, I can send in any 4 payslips (4 months or 13 weeks) from this period, and they will calculate the average and pay me 90% of this. Well if that is correct, I'm sending in the payslips from when I was pretty much full time, which works out that even at 90%, I'll be getting more in MA than I do currently from my standard wage. This doesn't seem right?!
Does anyone know anything about maternity allowance and know if I've got this right? I so hope I have, it would be so nice to have that bit of extra money again
Xxx

 

[fairyprincess]

Hi, from my research into it (as I'll be need to claim this also), they'll either pay you 90% of that calculated salary or the maternity allowance amount- whichever is LESS. That's what it says on the website anyway x

 

[jenni16]

I think they work out about the same amount anyway so either would be fine lol and more than I'm earning now. I only earn around £80 a week since Christmas, it was around £150+ last year. Xx

 

[fairyprincess]

Well that's good news then. I think it's work out about £540 a month. Don't forget you can have 10 back to work days without it affecting your payments too x

 

[kanga86]

The most you will get per week is £139.58 or 90% of your wages is lower than this. I would send in you payslips that give you an income of at least £160 per week and you will get the highest amount of mat allowance, which would be higher than your current income totally correct and a bonus for you. I will be claiming MA too xx

 

[jenni16]

Ooh so I must be reading it right then I just wanted to make sure I wasn't getting excited over nothing lol. Seems crazy that I might be better off on Mat leave than working tho! Roll on May haha.
My payslips are all over the place with my hours being changed so much, I've got one at just over £1,000, one at £750 and two at £550 so averages out at around £700 a month/just over £160 a week I think. Fingers crossed it all works in my favour xxx

 

[Phoenix85]

I have to claim Mat allowance too as I earn just under the amount needed for SMP.

It's still the 90% though which means I should still be getting about £100 a week.

It's good that your Maternity Allowance will probably be more than your current wage

 

[purpleslurple]

I've just had my award letter through and they're paying me £121 per week - I only currently earn £80 a week but last spring/summer I was working an extra shift a week and so I sent in the payslips from then.

You certainly aren't reading it wrong - they actually encourage you to send in your highest earning wage slips!

My award letter came really quickly - within 10 days of posting it! Good luck x

 

[kanga86]

Sounds fab Jenni, so glad you have a bit of luck coming your way. It is crazy that your better off on maternity leave than working, it will be nearly double your current weekly wage. I would be dancing about like crazy if I was you lol I'm lucky that my MA will be pretty much my current pay, I earn £150pw so just 10pw down as I worked 2 jobs briefly last year to boost my weekly amount. Just need to find all the payslips and send off soon as my maternity leave starts 1st April xx

 

[jenni16]

Im sooo happy, you wouldn't believe! I just hope they get back to me nice and quickly with a good figure it would make the house move that we're planning much easier with that bit extra coming in.

Good luck finding payslips....I thought I knew where all mine were, turns out they were scattered all over the house in different 'safe' places haha.
Xxx

 

[kanga86]

When I applied in 2014 for James they took ages to reply, remember it was a good 4-6 weeks I think in the end. But they did back pay everything so wasn't short of money. But then my job took ages to return my matb1 and smp1 forms which delayed applying. That's why I want to get mine sorted asap this time xx

 

[kanga86]

Actually just found the thread from 2014. I sent the forms off 3rd Aug and got a text message saying I was entitled on 3rd Sept, think the letter came after that. Hopefully they are quicker this time xx

 

[jenni16]

That's not too bad actually, I was expecting much longer and thinking I've left it too late already lol. And they text you? That's pretty handy
I've put that I want the pay to start 2nd May so they've got 9 weeks to sort it out haha.
Only 5 more weeks left at work can't come quick enough!! I was speaking to my Aunty earlier who asked why I was going so early - I said I'd easily carry on until the start of May, but I've had more than enough of the place now so I'll be glad to see the back of them!!
Xxx

 

[Emmam1982]

They only took 3 weeks to sort my sisters mat allowance out and yep you're definitely reading it right, my sister didn't qualify through work because she was on sick so only receiving £89 a week but is getting the full £139 from mat allowance because she worked full time before she fell pregnanct xx

 

[kanga86]

Yeah I got a text saying I was entitled and when my first payment was going in, but it was for after when I asked my pay to start.

My pay will be starting 2nd May too as using 4 weeks annual leave prior to going off. I have 2 weeks then a week off then the weeks of Easter hols. I can't wait to stop although been off sick since Thursday with crippling sciatic pain so not sure I will even be in on Monday! xx

 

[Mrsbee]

I called them up about this as I was a student nurse and then got my job in January, they said you can send any 13 payslips in the 66 week test period, the woman said to me send the ones where you've earnt the most money. To get the full mat allowance it's like £139. Something you have to earn £150 a week or more. They're very helpful as I don't find the forms clear at all. Xxxx

 

[jenni16]

I'm off to the post office to send the forms off in the morning, planning on recorded delivery as I'm sending payslips etc.
I still can't believe they encourage you to send in your highest earning payslips, they normally try not to give you any money lol.
Hope you're feeling better Kanga and ready for work tomorrow! Xxx

 

[kanga86]

I posted off my forms this morning. Can't wait to here back about it all. I did manage to go to work but it really isn't much fun as the drive in is complete agony but just got to think it's not long now til I stop xx

 

[kanga86]

Hey Jenni, have you heard anything back yet? I got 3 of my 7 payslips I sent back last week so hoping to have an answer soon. Not sure what happened to the rest of my payslips though! Getting impatient to hear but know it was a month last time xx

 

[jenni16]

Yes, I got all my payslips back early last week, wonder why all of yours haven't come back at once?
I got my letter through today, I'm getting the full £139!!! I'm soooo happy! That's an extra £200ish a month which we're going to try and save. It's definitely going to come in handy with moving house
I've just got to send off another piece of paper once I've finished work with the dates I've stopped working and when I want them to start paying me, hopefully that gets sorted as quickly.
I never thought I'd be so thankful for work screwing me over haha
Yours should come through in the next week or two I should think. Fingers crossed you get the same good news
Xxx