Question about Maternity Allowance?

[beatie]

Who can claim? They say you have to have worked for 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby is due.

My baby is due September the 10th 2005 so, I would have had to have worked for 26 weeks after June 4th 2004 to be eligible to claim?

Am I working that out correctly?

[moet]

do you mean SSP?

[jessicasmummy]

i got maternity allowance for my first... you have to work for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks befor your baby is due.... so yeah, you got it girl! £104 a week - not bad!

[Gillian76]

I got it for both DDs as I was supply teaching and didn't get any maternity pay.

[beatie]

Oh poo! I think I miss out by about 10 weeks. Shame it took me so long to get pregnant with #2.

[jessicasmummy]

i know what u mean - i miss out this time too! Works out to be by about 15 weeks in my case!

[Gillian76]

Is there still maternity benefit? I remember there being two levels of benefit when I got mat allowance (being the higher)

[Twiglett]

I thought it was 26 week consecutive weeks in any 6 month period within the last 3 years before EDD earning at least £30 a week

and then you get £104 a week for 26 weeks

[Gillian76]

Here's what the jobcentre website says about it

[Gillian76]

And the bit about eligibility says

How do I qualify?
To get MA you must have:

been employed and/or self-employed for at least 26 week in the 66 weeks up to and including the week before your baby is due. This 66 week period is known as the test period. Part weeks are counted as full weeks; and

earned on average at least £30 or more a week, in any 13 weeks in the test period.

More information on how to work out your earnings is in leaflet NI 17A ? A guide to Maternity Benefits:


HTH

[beatie]

You know, I am sure the eligibility rules have changed since I last looked. I left work in September 2004 and I'm sure I worked out I would still be eligible so long as I got pregnant before March 2005. How annoying if the rules have changed. I might fill the form in anyway and see if something else is offered.

I really tried to hold on working to get maternity pay for baby #2 but had a miscarriage in Feb 2004 and then another in June 2004 and so then made the decision to leave in Sept 04 in case I never got pregnant again and missed out on being at home with dd as a toddler.

[beatie]

I'm sure it used to be 26 weeks out of 66 weeks up to the date you could claim from (29 weeks) and not 66 weeks up to your due date. Not that it helps me knowing that oh sigh

[moschops]

i am in the process of trying to fill out my application for this and get a different answer from every relevant dept about my entitlement.

the bloke at the National Insurance office argued with my FIL about how NI is paid...........as my FIL teaches this for a living i think he damn well knows. they just seem to lie through their teeth.......

[leahbump]

so if i finished work in december 04 andn haven't earned £30 a week since then i am eligible?

[leahbump]

NOT Eligible

[beatie]

When are you due Leahbump?

[Tigerlion]

Does anyone know how long it takes to hear back whether you have qualified for MA once that you have sent off the forms? I sent mine off around ten days' ago and five days' ago received my payslips with no enclosed letter. What is the best way going about to see whether you have qualified or not?

[jessicasmummy]

not sure TBH.... it took FOREVER to get mine, ended up with a back payment a week before dd was born! Handy but a nightmare as had to rush getting the last few bits.