Maternity Allowance

[Carlyp1990]

Hi Ladies :wave:

Im just wondering if anyone else will be claiming Maternity Allowance?

I havent had this job for long enough to claim SMP so will be claiming MA and im just wondering when does the form have to be submitted by?

xx

 

[Cafferine]

I think the earliest you can submit it is when you are 26 weeks. x

 

[Jem]

Yes the earliest is 26 weeks once you've had your certificate from your MW to accompany the form to apply for MA x

 

[Carlyp1990]

is there a deadline? x

 

[captainj1]

good question - i wasn't clear from the form myself - i'm claiming MA as i'm self employed. the form asks for the date that you ceased to be self employed (or employed if you're completing that section) rather than asking what date you PLAN to go off on maternity leave, so it left me a bit confused as to whether i had to wait until after the baby is born before claiming?

 

[greenie]

I'm confused by all this aswell, I'm self employed and also employed casually, and I found a form online, on a government website, and talks about 'test periods' etc. Anyone already done this and understand it?!?

 

[Carlyp1990]

I'm confused by all this aswell, I'm self employed and also employed casually, and I found a form online, on a government website, and talks about 'test periods' etc. Anyone already done this and understand it?!?

thats the form hun, you have to have worked 26 weeks out of the 66 weeks before the 15th week in which the baby is due. so the test period is to see if you qualify or not. you have to list all employers you have had in the last 66 weeks (which is a nightmare). what other bits are you stuck on? x

 

[greenie]

gosh that sounds so complicated! but thanks, armed with that knowledge I'll have a look over the form again and see if it makes sense. may come back to you for more advice

 

[greenie]

does it make any difference what your OH earns? is it means tested?

 

[Carlyp1990]

does it make any difference what your OH earns? is it means tested?

i havent had to fill in anything about my OH so no i dont think it does hun x

 

[MissMegs]

does it make any difference what your OH earns? is it means tested?

Hi, No maternity pay or allowance is linked to OH's pay, it's not means tested. However, MA is linked to how much you earn. You get £123 (approx) a week or 90% of your weekly earnings (which ever is less) and you have to earn at least £30 a week to qualify.

Hope that helps!!

 

[lindblum]

MA is not means tested, if you qualify you will get 90% of your weekly earnings or ~£125 weekly whichever is lower.

 

[EHM]

Its not means tested and does not go off NI contributions, all you have to have done is worked 26 weeks in the 66 wk test period, the test period runs upto the wk your lo is due or could be the wk before your lo is due. It does not matter if you have worked for diff employers or only worked a couple of days a wk as this is classed as a full wk.

 

[HCB]

From what I have found out...

You have to satisfy both an employment and an earnings rule in a test period. The test period is the period of 66 weeks up to and including the week before the week your baby is due.

You have to be employed or self employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 week test period. The 26 weeks do not have to be consecutive or for the same employer and includes part weeks. You can be off sick for any of this time because you are still classed as employed.

You have to at least equal the maternity allowance threshold, which is £30 a week so your weekly earnings have to average at least this amount in the test period. You can add up all earnings from different employers for this (if you work for more than one company at the same time).

To calculate your average weekly gross earnings you take any 13 weeks in the test period. The 13 weeks do not have to be consecutive and you can choose weeks when you have earned more to make it better for you.

You can claim when you reach the 14th week before the week in which your baby is due (don't sign and date it earlier than the 14th week otherwise the jobcentre will send it back and things will get delayed).

You have to send original payslips for the 13 week period you have chosen to be your test period as your proof of earnings.

If you are self employed, proof of earnings isn't required but you have to be registered for class 2 NI contributions and this is used as proof.

You need to get form SMP1 (SMP exclusion form) from your employer to prove they will not pay SMP (because you're not eligible - you might already know this but your employer still has to make a statement to that effect).

If you claim more than 3 months after the date your MA would be paid then you will lose money.

You are entitled to MA for a maximum of 39 weeks. No work is allowed in this time apart from 10 'keeping in touch' days (or part of a day) otherwise they may stop your MA or at least deduct money from it.

The amount you get is based on your gross average weekly earnings. The current standard rate of MA is £124.88 per week - you will get this or 90% of your weekly earnings, whichever is less.


These are the basics but there are some other bits and pieces depending on your circumstances.

Hope it helps.

 

[evewidow]

i will be claiming MA and have sucessfully claimed it before if you get stuck feel free to drop me a pm ill help if i can

 

[Mrschoochoo]

If anyone is having trouble filling the forms in you can book an appointment at your local jobcentre and they will go through the form with you. I have not done one myself but I have found booking an appointment the best way to go for other forms, as if they require any documents the person at the jobcentre can photocopy them and initial them, so you can have your originals back.
Give your local jobcentre a ring, I was very surprised at how much help I got

 

[BLONDIE35]

You can also still get maternity allowance whilst you're working as it's paid regardless. This is what happened to me when I was pregnant with d/d before. Hope it helps.

 

[Carlyp1990]

what happens if your agency is saying they cant give you an SMP1 until they know the date you are leaving but your employer is ending all temp contracts but is unsure of the date?

 

[MissMegs]

what happens if your agency is saying they cant give you an SMP1 until they know the date you are leaving but your employer is ending all temp contracts but is unsure of the date?

I work as a long-term temp through an agency (and will be claiming MA) and they don't need to know your leaving date to give you an SMP1 - all they need is your MATB1 form (which they'll return to you).

 

[Carlyp1990]

Thats what i though but they phoned me yesterday and said they needed to know what date im leaving before they can send me my smp1. Ill give them a ring back and tell them to hurry up and send it! Thanks hun xx