Maternity Allowance: confused with wording. What is considered "very recently"?

[Peyre]

Hi there.

I've been reading/researching all about MA, including threads in this forum.

I'm clear about the requirements to receive MA (have been working during 26 weeks during test period earning more than £30/weeks). However, I left my job in a pub on 6th Aug (16 weeks pregnant).

According to DWP, you can get MA if:
•you're employed, but not eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay (I'm not employed, but I was until Aug)
•you're registered self-employed and paying Class 2 National Insurance contributions (NICs), or hold a Small Earnings Exception certificate (not my case)
•you have very recently been employed or self-employed

My question is: would the DWP consider "very recently" a thirteen weeks/three months period??

I could claim - could I?- MA on the week of the 23rd Oct (15th week before baby is due) as long as this 13 weeks gap between employment and MA claim is considered "very recently".

I'm trying to forecast my finances before October and wonder if I have any chance to get MA or otherwise I'll be sent to Income Support.

What do you think?

 

[Dantes Mom]

I'm in the same boat i stopped work at 5 weeks but the citizens advice sed i can get mat allowance and i foned the mat allowance people and they said it was ok... but i tend not to take what they say as set in stone xx

 

[Peyre]

Could you post the phone number of the "maternity allowance people", please?

 

[Dantes Mom]

Just had a look online underneath it says
You may be eligible if:

•you've been employed and/or self-employed for at least 26 weeks in your 'test period' (66 weeks up to and including the week before the week your baby is due) - part weeks count as full weeks
•you earned £30 a week averaged over any 13 weeks in your test period

The bit in red we have been im almost certain we are eligable otherwise i will become 'self employed' lol xx

 

[Dantes Mom]

0845 608 8610 i think this is it.. you get mat allowance from the job centre let me know if your find anythign out xx

 

[Peyre]

Thanks again.

I'll let you know, as I am worried with the very recently bit. Maybe they consider that 3 months is recent but not very recent...(you know how fuzzy are at the JobCentre at this moment of cuts and financial crisis...I'm sure they prefer to pay £67 on IB that £128 on MA...as every little helps even for the mighty state).

Anyway...I promise I'll let you know.

Rgrds.

 

[Peyre]

Hi again.

I''ve just been on the phone with a MA adviser and she has told me that it doesn't matter how long ago I became unemployed or left my job, even if it was three or five months ago. Apparently the decision maker assessing my claim will only check that I have been working continuosly during 26 weeks during the Test Period of 66 weeks.

So the sentence containing the "very recently" bit could indeed be removed, I reckon... (unless the DWP is leaving an open door for itself, which won't be surprising...).

 

[Dantes Mom]

Great news they said something similar to me. I'm sure the 'very recently bit' was so that you phone them on '0845' another way to get money i literally worked 27 weeks in those 66 so i was cutting it fine anyway when are you going to start claiming your mat allowance? and how far gone are you? xx

 

[Peyre]

I'm 20+2, so I can not claim MA until the week of the 31st October (14th week b4 baby is due).

I've also been told by the adviser that MA will get paid from the 11th week b4 the baby is due (around the 21st Nov). So I assume it takes 2 weeks to be assessed and 1 week to be processed.

So..."what I'm gonna do until the 21st Nov?", I asked.

She said I can claim JSA but I will get penalised for leaving my job voluntarily, so I will get hardship payments because I'll be considered vulnerable for being pregnant (£67.50 JSA -20% penalisation= £54) until the start of the 15th week b4 baby is due. On the 15th week b4 baby is due, I will be swapped to Income Support @ £67.50/week.

Once I start receivin MA from the 11th week b4 baby is due, IncomeSupport will be stopped. It can be re-taken, if needed, after MA ceases, 12 weeks after giving birth.

The adviser was very helpful indeed.

Regards

 

[Dantes Mom]

I'm only 17+6 so cannot claim mine until 7th Decemeber. If you dont mind me asking are you single or not because i was told i cant get income support because i wasnt single? This is my 2nd child and have discussed it with my OH and he said theres no point putting both children in childcare and me going to work. If i could claim something after that would be great as mat allowance doesnt last forever. Do you have to start claiming at 29 weeks pregnant if not would it not be better to start right at the end so we get it for longer? xx

 

[Peyre]

Yes: I am single.

However, if your husband doesn't earn a lot, you may be able to get some JSA now or some IS after the 15th week before the bay is due. Ask your job centre. Obviously if he is getting, let's say £578/week after tax, for example, you will get nothing unless you as a family can claim working tax credit (which is a complicated benefit I don't know about, but I've heard it from friends...). I've also heard about child tax credit, but don't know how it goes...Also, I've read about Statutory Paternity Pay, which maybe can be claimed by your husband...

To qualify for paternity leave for a birth, your husband must have been employed by the same employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth; and be the biological father of the child, or be married to or be the partner of the baby's mother. Paternity leave can start either on the day the baby is born or on a date that has been agreed in advance with his employer. Paternity leave cannot start before the baby is born, and, if you your husband have agreed a date later than the birth of your baby, it must be completed within 56 of days of the birth. I don't know if this is possible in case your husband is self-employed...Google "policy circular DWP paternity" to get more info. It is a PDF (sorry I don't give you the link, but not allowed to include links or email addresses by forum until I post 10 times , which is a shame 'cause I've got lots).

I'm not quite sure that is a requirement to claim MA exactly after the 29th week. I suppose that ladies chosing to continue working can postpone it. However, you may lose MA if you wait too long ( I think I've read somewhere... )

Regarding your question where you wonder if wouldn't be better to start MA right at the end so you get it for longer? I don't quite agree with you...if you don't spend it and keep the money safe, it will last until you decide to spend it, isn't it?? The benefit is there for you to claim from the 14th week the baby is due and until the baby is 3 months old. Claim it and keep the money under the matress if you want, but claim it!! as you don't know which cuts the goverment is gonna get out of its hat by the time you decide to claim!! Also, the UK is in the middle of a benefit reform, so benefits are pending reviews and may be eliminated or included in the famous Universal Credit that no-one knows very well about....

What is available now is suitable to change before the tax year ends!!, who knows...

As you can see, there are lots of benefits out there even for working families. Do some research about the child tax credit and the other lot I've just mention.

Good luck with your pregnancy and your finances.

Regards.

 

[maybe11]

Yes: I am single.

However, if your husband doesn't earn a lot, you may be able to get some JSA now or some IS after the 15th week before the bay is due. Ask your job centre. Obviously if he is getting, let's say £578/week after tax, for example, you will get nothing unless you as a family can claim working tax credit (which is a complicated benefit I don't know about, but I've heard it from friends...). I've also heard about child tax credit, but don't know how it goes...Also, I've read about Statutory Paternity Pay, which maybe can be claimed by your husband...

To qualify for paternity leave for a birth, your husband must have been employed by the same employer for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth; and be the biological father of the child, or be married to or be the partner of the baby's mother. Paternity leave can start either on the day the baby is born or on a date that has been agreed in advance with his employer. Paternity leave cannot start before the baby is born, and, if you your husband have agreed a date later than the birth of your baby, it must be completed within 56 of days of the birth. I don't know if this is possible in case your husband is self-employed...Google "policy circular DWP paternity" to get more info. It is a PDF (sorry I don't give you the link, but not allowed to include links or email addresses by forum until I post 10 times , which is a shame 'cause I've got lots).

I'm not quite sure that is a requirement to claim MA exactly after the 29th week. I suppose that ladies chosing to continue working can postpone it. However, you may lose MA if you wait too long ( I think I've read somewhere... )

Regarding your question where you wonder if wouldn't be better to start MA right at the end so you get it for longer? I don't quite agree with you...if you don't spend it and keep the money safe, it will last until you decide to spend it, isn't it?? The benefit is there for you to claim from the 14th week the baby is due and until the baby is 3 months old. Claim it and keep the money under the matress if you want, but claim it!! as you don't know which cuts the goverment is gonna get out of its hat by the time you decide to claim!! Also, the UK is in the middle of a benefit reform, so benefits are pending reviews and may be eliminated or included in the famous Universal Credit that no-one knows very well about....

What is available now is suitable to change before the tax year ends!!, who knows...

As you can see, there are lots of benefits out there even for working families. Do some research about the child tax credit and the other lot I've just mention.

Good luck with your pregnancy and your finances.

Regards.

I d read that MA is 39 weeks so waiting until 2 weeks before edd would give more the other side?

 

[Dantes Mom]

Thanks lots of info there.. your right gonna claim it as soon as i can incase they cut it xx

 

[green22]

Maybe11, i've read this too so now I'm confused?? I'm self employed and due beginning of March so was planning on working up until mid Jan, claiming MA for 6ish weeks and then claiming until i decide to go back to work (so up to 33 weeks after the birth if I chose?) x

 

[maybe11]

Maybe11, i've read this too so now I'm confused?? I'm self employed and due beginning of March so was planning on working up until mid Jan, claiming MA for 6ish weeks and then claiming until i decide to go back to work (so up to 33 weeks after the birth if I chose?) x

Thats my intention too. Chances are they wont change anything until new tax year and even then we ll hear LOADS about it before hand.

Just confused my with someone saying only 3 months after LO born.

I m self employed and aim to take leave beginning March, LO due 20th. so I ll have LOADS of time after (which is hand cos it ll cover dd school summer holidays too and Oct holidays too. I m not intending on returning to work until Jan 2013 - he he he that sounds FAB!

 

[green22]

I know!! I can't WAIT to have time off with my first child!! And to be able to watch the Olympics. Lol!

I've just checked on the government website and I cannot see any mention of the 3 months that an earlier poster mentioned. it just says that MA can start from 11wks before your expected due date IF you want it to or you can chose a later start date if you are still working etc. It also clearly makes the statement that MA can be claimed for up to 39 weeks.

 

[maybe11]

I know!! I can't WAIT to have time off with my first child!! And to be able to watch the Olympics. Lol!

I've just checked on the government website and I cannot see any mention of the 3 months that an earlier poster mentioned. it just says that MA can start from 11wks before your expected due date IF you want it to or you can chose a later start date if you are still working etc. It also clearly makes the statement that MA can be claimed for up to 39 weeks.

Maybe other person is only taking 3 months after? I really enjoyed my 10 months off with dd so will be doing the same this time. x

 

[Peyre]

Hi!

I made a mistake about MA, so I understand that you guysmaybe11and green22are confused.

Apologies about confusing other readers...

MA is indeed paid during 39weeks/9 months and the latest you can claim is the day after the birth of your baby. If you chose to work after your 6 month of pregnancy or simply chose not to claim for whatever the reason, it is ok.

 

[Lulu1982]

Sorry to swoop in and be annoying but I'm freaking out a little down here!

I've been unable to find temp work for a week now so am considering JSA until I'm able to claim my MA (I was made redundanct when I was 8 weeks but have been working full time on a temporary basis since).

My EDD is 3rd Feb 2012 so would I be able to claim from 18th November 2011? And then it would continue for 39 weeks from that date unless I went back to work?

I'm so confused by benefits ... can anyone clarify for me?! xx

 

[Peyre]

Hi Lulu1982 !

What a coincidence! My EDD is also 3rd Feb !!

Go and claim JSA (if you are single and have no savings, of course).

You'll be on JSA (I know...a pain in the a*** having to show you're available for work + going to the JC every 2 weeks) until the 11th week before the EDD (20thNov), that you will be swapped to Income Support.

Then, you'll be able to stay on IS until you are able (if you have worked for at least 26 weeks since 31st October 2010 to 4th Feb 2012=Test Period) to claim Maternity Allowance, which will be, in your case, at the start of the 14th week before the EDD (week starting 31st Oct), although you won't get paid MA until the 11th week b4 EDD. Do I make any sense? (it's a bit confusing...I know...).

If you can not claim MA, then you'll be on IS from the 11th week b4 EDD until you decide to go back to work (for a maximum of 5 years).

If you are married/civil partnership and your other half works/has a decent wage, you obviously can not apply for JSA or IS (well, you could as a couple, but I don't know how it goes...as I am single and haven't done research on those cases). You could only apply for MA (which is a maximum of £128/week, non taxable, or a 90% of the thirteen weeks you ahve earned the most, whatever is lower).

I hope I've help.

Regards.