Maternity Allowance Question - Any experts out there!

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Does anyone know if I can claim maternity allowance once baby is already here?

Told today by employer that I wouldn’t be entitled to SMP even though I have continuous service (NHS strikes again) so now need to claim MA.

Am I able to do this even though baby is already here? Will I miss out on payments because of the delay in claiming now or will they just backdate it?

Googled it for you.

How old is the baby

Aren’t you more concerned about why you’re not entitled when you should be?

I’m doing paperwork for this now - you can backdate for a maximum of three months.

There is a time limit for claiming according to this guide (page 5). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/829635/ma1-print-notes.pdf

Have you got your SMP1 form from your employer?

I'm guessing you have continuous NHS employment, but in different trusts, so not continuous employment from one employer in the relevant qualifying period. In which case, you get occupational maternity pay from your previous employer, and claim maternity allowance. You can claim once your baby is here, but do it asap: as mentioned above it can only be backdated for three months. It's a straightforward process to claim MA, and is tax free, unlike SMP.

I'd speak to your union about not being entitled to maternity pay in the first instance. Assuming you have proper notice they should have told you much earlier you don't qualify.

You can backdate though.

You can claim after the baby is born but it's only backdated by 3 months. It's a real pain when your employer won't let you work due to Covid and then get out of paying maternity leave because you were absent in the qualifying period!