Maternity Allowance for childminders

[southernbelle77]

As a childminder who becomes pregnant, I understand that you can not claim Statutory Maternity Pay but that you maybe able to claim Maternity Allowance instead.
I have looked at the critera for claiming maternity allowance but am not sure if it takes your partners earnings into consideration at all?
We have decided to try for another baby and although it wouldn't matter either way if we can claim, I am interested to know if I would receive any money or not!
Thanks.

Message withdrawn

I have recently filled in the 17-odd pages (online before then printing off for signature). Partner's salary not mentioned, it's all about you and your self-employment. If you pay class 2 NI conts (approx £2.10 a week) you are entitled to it no matter how much you earn a week - great for me as I am a flexible ad-hoc childminder and my weekly/monthly income varies all the time! Go to here for the form and further info. Don't be daunted by the complexity of it - I didn't have to fill in much because ticking the 'I pay Class 2 Ni Conts' meant nothing else needed to be filled in/proved re earnings. Hope this helps! The MA amount is £112 a week which may go up slightly in April when all benefits go up a bit.

Thanks thats great to know!
Just need to get pregnant now - wish me luck

Good Luck sb77 - if you've not found them yet, there's great threads on here for that sort of thing, I spent a few months on them, going through the 'two week wait' with others was very supportive!

im on maternity leave now and get £112 per week