Self Employed and Benefits

[hungabunga]

I am writing this on behalf of my wife who hopefully one day will make some posts herself.
We are expecting our first child in August and are currently in our 2nd Trimester (Just).
My wife has been self employed now for almost 6 months and has submitted her first tax return, she was previously in full time employment for 5 years. We are paying the National insurance contributions via direct debit and it is all up to date.
We have been reading about maternity pay and have figured out that we are entitled to Maternity Allowance at some point. The problem is we have had a difficult getting this far over the last seven years so we have decided it is best that my wife (Aneela) should not work. Now this had made a substantial dent in our income so are we entitled to any form of benefits? Aneela did speak to our local Job centre to find out if she was entitled to free dentist prescription etc and was informed she would only possibly qualify for MA which understandably is quiet upsetting.
I am sure there are some of you who have been in similar situations so any advice would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks in advance

Sohail

 

[Sherlock]

Hmmm well you can ask your MW for the form for free prescriptions and dental care. Your wife should have gotten that back in her first tri. I'm sure all women are entitled to this regardless. Jobcentre does not have to be involved.

Who is entitled to get free prescriptions?

If you are pregnant or have had a child in the past year

Get form FW8 from your doctor, midwife or health visitor to apply for a Maternity Exemption Certificate. The form is sent off to the Prescription Pricing Authority who will issue the certificate.

With regards to what your wife is entitled to, having been self employed it makes it tricky but it is possible I think.

I found this thread about self employed and what some women are doing to get MA

With regards of claiming MA via the Jobcentre, there are certain conditions your wife needs to meet to be able to claim. If I understand you correctly, she has met the requirements and all being well you can get the form from your MW soon and then call the Jobcentre and have them send you the MA paperwork to fill out.

Just because your wife is not working atm, does not mean she cannot claim. There is a long period of time in which she has worked within the qualifying window, so have a read and see what you think.

I myself stopped work before Christmas and my MA won't kick in till end of Feb, but I am entitled to MA as I worked in the qualifying period.

Read this page on MA

Maternity Allowance

What is it?

Maternity Allowance (MA) may be available to help you take time off to have your baby if you are not entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay from an employer. MA is also available if you are registered self-employed or have done some employed or self-employed work in the 15 months, before the week your baby is due.

You should claim as soon as you can after you have been pregnant for 26 weeks. If you delay, you may lose benefit. There are a number of conditions that you need to meet in order to claim maternity benefit.

If your Expected Week of Childbirth is on or before 31 March 2007, MA can be paid for up to 26 weeks.

If your Expected Week of Childbirth is on or after 1 April 2007, MA can be paid for up to 39 weeks.

The important date for working out how long MA can be paid for is the date your baby is due not when your baby is actually born.

Hope some of that is of help. If your local Jobcentre is being awkward, call the central number and skip the local branch.

 

[paradysso]

just wondering why she did a tax return if shes been only working 6 months? as it would be for the previous year

but as sherlock said you will get MA it just wont start until later in 2nd trimester, i think 14 weeks before due date? if shes giving up working earlier maybe she could claim incapacity benefit?