Maternity allowence and tax credit..help please :-)

[bubble27]

Hi, I'm currently pregnant with baba number 2, even though we're not due till feb 2014 I like to prepare and organise in advance lol
I find tax credits difficult to get my head round as currently me and my husband are currently not entitled to them at the moment but when I check on the direct govs calculator online it seems we will be entitled to a bit of child tax credit with having 2 children.
However I'm self employed and my husband is employed so I will be starting maternity allowence from feb2014 but when I put my income details online for the previous year the calculator says we're entitled to a small amount but I assume the following year as with 2 children I will be only working a small amount of hours if at all any?
So will they take the 9 months maternity allowence as income against the tax credits?
Or just what income I earn in the last 3 months of that tax year?
Thanks in advance
Xxxx

 

[Pearls18]

I don't understand all the ins and outs of being self employed, but yes maternity allowance is used as income (things like job seekers also are) however, with SMP the first £100 per week is discounted which means most of it is ignored and I would assume MA is the same. Your best bet will be to ring them, they're very helpful.