Maternity Allowance

[moss]

I am going to qualify for MA at the very last minute because I will have worked 26 weeks as of 2 or 3 weeks before my baby is due! I want to start my application now but I know I need a lot of payslips. Would I be better off waiting or will they reject me if I do it at the last minute? Does anyone know?

 

[Hazel]

My boss just sent everything to head office and they do it all for me.

 

[Chrissy1]

i think it would depend on your company policy.

With here I just have to write a letter to HR to say I want to start Maternity leave on a certain date and then they sort everything else out for me.

 

[moss]

Sorry, I'm talking about the actual Maternity Allowance, not maternity pay from a company. Does anyone know about this?

 

[Chrissy1]

Is that the extra that you can claim for??? If so then sorry I worked out I didn't qualify for it so I never looked into it.

Have a look at this site.....it tells you all about maternity rights and benefits and should tell you how you go about claiming too.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkAndFamilies/DG_10029285

Hope it helps

 

[moss]

It's what you get when you don't qualify for maternity pay through your employer because you haven't worked for them for long enough, or you didn't contribute enough, etc... The website doesn't say anything about only qualifying at the last minute as far as I can tell. Sigh... I can't get to Citizen's Advice because of work and I don't really want to call the Job Centre in front of the other people in my (SILENT) office but I don't know how else to find out about this. :/

 

[Sherlock]

Have you been working for x amount of weeks in the qualifying period for MA? I don't get what you mean about 'last minute' tbh. If you worked enough weeks in the time frame you will qualify. You only need something like 3 months worth of pay slips from within that time frame.

If so, once you reach 26 weeks you can apply using your MAT B1 form from the MW and they send you the paperwork to fill in. Or call the helpline number on the bottom link there.

IIRC you can apply later also. Have a read of all the info in the links given in the other post and at the bottom here.

That link given to you says

Maternity Allowance

If you can't get SMP from your employer, you might get Maternity Allowance (MA) if you:
are employed
are self-employed and pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions or
have a Small Earnings Exception certificate
are not employed but have worked close to or during your pregnancy

The conditions are that you:
worked (either on an employed or self employed basis) for at least 26 of the 66 weeks before the week your baby was due (a part week counts as a full week).
Earned an average of £30 over any 13 of those 66 weeks

The standard rate of MA is £117.18 or 90 per cent of your average weekly earnings, whichever is less. If your expected week of childbirth begins on or after 1 April 2007, it is paid for up to 39 weeks. If your expected week of childbirth was earlier than this then it is paid for up to 26 weeks. MA is not liable to income tax or NI contributions.

There is this page on it all

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAnd ... G_10018869

BTW there is a section on the forum called Working During Pregnancy, Maternity pay, Benefits and Tax credits. This sort of thing is probably better posted over there as many people who will read and reply over there don't always visit the tris.

 

[Sydneysmum]

The links above are helpful - I've just applied for my MA as I'm self employed. You can also phone your local Jobcentre Plus (number in the phone book) I found my local office quite helpful.