self employed/maternity allowance question

[smilingatyou]

I'm registered self employed and so pay my national insurance contributions and plan to apply for MA when the time comes. But does anyone know how long you need to have been paying your national insurance contributions to get the full amount? Plus does everyone get it for 39 weeks or does it vary for how long you get it for? Thanks!

 

[LankyDoodle]

You have to have been working for at least 26 out of the 66 weeks leading up to the due date of your baby. That may not mean you were paying NICs because they are only payable above the LEL and the reason some people have to get MA is because they have not earned above the LEL for the qualifying period in order to get SMP.

So even if you have earned £30 a week (average), you can apply.

You choose the 13 weeks where you earned the most within that 66 week period (providing you have definitely worked 26 weeks in total), and you use those 13 weeks to give you the average weekly earnings. When you have that you need to work out 90% of it. You will get that amount OR 123.06 a week whichever is the lowest, and you will get it for 39 weeks from the date you start it. You can start it from 11 weeks before EDD (so 29 weeks of pregnancy).

 

[smilingatyou]

I believed that you did not have to prove your earnings if your registered self employed and have been paying your class 2 national insurance contributions? I have continued to pay my national insurance whether I have earnt any money or not to cover me for MA. So I was just wondering if you had to of been paying your national insurance for so many weeks to get the full £123 for the whole 39 weeks.

 

[MrsRH]

Maternity Allowance
What is it?
Maternity Allowance may be available to help you take time off to have your baby. You must not be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay from any employer. You must also have been a registered self-employed person or have been employed in at least 26 weeks out of the 66 week period running into the week 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.



What are the benefit rates?
Standard rate: £123.06 or 90% of your average gross weekly earnings if this is less than £123.06.

If you're self-employed send your Small Earnings Exception certificate or if you are paying Class 2 NICs, HM Revenue & Customs will be asked to confirm your payments are up to date.


Found the above info on the direct gov web site.

I am self employed and claiming MA. I didn't have to prove earnings. I think they just go off your NI payments. Everyone has to pay NI (class 2) when self employed.

I think as long as you are up to date with your NI class 2 payments which will be checked via your national insurance number, you'll get the full 39 weeks at £123

hth hun!
xxxxx

 

[smilingatyou]

many thanks mrsrh

 

[suzib76]

i paid my class 2's and all i had to do was send the form stating that and they check it with hmrc and then write back you will get the full amount - the only time you have to provide proof of earnings is if you are on small earnings certificate and you get less MA for that