Maternity Allowance

[reallytinyamy]

Just wanted to let people that are going to be claiming maternity allowance in the uk know that you need to do it early. I've just phoned to chase mine up to be told I wouldnt hear anything for 9 weeks as they have a 2 month backlog. So if you are relying on it, like me, then do it sooner rather than later.

 

[kelly86]

how soon are you allowed to apply its just i wont be leaving work for maternity till nov and dont have a clue wot im supposed to be claiming or going in to claim for its like this £500 grant thing does everyone get it or do you need to be claiming things to get it

 

[stephenie]

hiya
i'm struggling to find out about allowances too. I keep getting told I've got to go to social services in my local area and speak to someone there but then apparently they don't accept walk ins?? I'm getting really confused. Would really appreciate if anyone can point me in the right direction... ta x

 

[MummyJade]

You are entitled to the 500 grant if you have low income, or claiming income support.
you cant put in a claim 4 it at 29 weeks. best thing 2 do is ring your local job centre and ask find out what you are entitled to.. good luck. I have just found out i am entitled to job seekers allowance till i am 29 weeks then i am entitled to maternity allowance from 29 weeks 2 when the babys born with the 500 grant. If you have been working you are entitled 2 more maternity allowance 90% of your weekly gross income (from work wages) if not it will be less. I was working but my contacted ended the 30th june so i am no longer receiving any money.

hope this helps x

 

[stephenie]

yeh it does, thanks! i'll give job centre a call and see what I'd be entitled to. I'm not working at the moment either but my OH is so we'll have to see what they say.

Thanks for the info x

 

[LucyS]

oh no I am 28 weeks and need to apply for my maternity allowance wqorried il have to go without for upto a month now?

 

[MummyJade]

give them a call tomorrow and be straight with them dont let them fob u off just tell them how do they expect you to survive with no money x

 

[reallytinyamy]

ypou dont have to have stopped working to claim, thats the mistake I made and now have no income at all. You can claim from 26 weeks. There is a form om the DWP website- google maternity allowance- fill it in adn send it off with the documants they ask for.

They ask you for a date that you want the allowancde to start so do it while you're still working otherwise you'll end up waiting

 

[isil]

I put my claim in at 26 weeks and it didn't come through til 36/37. And that was after a LOT of chasing on my part.

 

[Lois]

So is it best to send a MA claim off before 26 weeks even though they say not to claim til 26 weeks?

Lx

 

[isil]

I don't know if they accept it before 26 weeks unfortunately Lois...but you could ask for sure. At least even if they don't accept it before 26 weeks you could make sure you had absolutely everything sorted for it. For example, I had problems getting some payslips but was told that the MA people would contact my old employers and get them for me...this NEVER happened and at 32 weeks I had to contact them myself...and I could've done that myself before 26 weeks, y'know!

 

[Lois]

Thanks Bethanylee. WIll make sure I've got everything together in advance
Lx

 

[reallytinyamy]

definitely have everything ready to send straight away and do it at the earliest opportunity

 

[Hollys_Twinny]

OMG I thought u automatically start getting payed..? dont ur company do it 4 u?

 

[reallytinyamy]

this for the government materinty allowance benefit, when you're not entitled to maternity pay from an employer

 

[LucyS]

I really need to hand mine in tomorrow, I am worried about where to take it though, does it need to be a specific job centre or just any local one as there are a couple local?

I want to start being payed from around the 20th September for MA so this is not going to be likely going on previous posts?

 

[reallytinyamy]

i took mine to the local jobcentre and that was fine.

fingers crossed they process it in time for you

 

[debbie29]

i havent worked for a few weeks now thay no that and still havent paid anything i keep ringing them there latest excuse is they have lost my pay slips which really annoyed me as now i have to get copies again and there was 13 i sent to them, you would think as this is something we have to claim as we are entitled to it they would treat us better and stop treating us like lazy people who cant be bothered to find a job, i feel better no iv had a moan lol

 

[reallytinyamy]

After complining on monday i got my first payment today- result!!!

 

[LucyS]

I will keep complaining but I only have about 7/8 weeks until I want it to be payed and havent applied yet so can see it coming that I will have to go without for a while?

How can I do that when baby first comes!