Can I claim benfits while on maternioty leave?

[puddingz]

I am planning to take ordinary and then additional maternity leave from work. This means that I get full pay for 9 weeks, half pay for 18 weeks and then nothing for 6 months. Does anyone know what benefits I can claim? Has anyone actually claimed benfits while being on maternity leave? How much paperwork/waiting is involved?

there are no actual benefits you can claim when you are on mat leave - you might qualify for more working family tax credits as you will have a lower salary when you are not paid might be worth phoning up to see if they can adjust during the period and not at the end of the fin year as they normally do..

Puddinz - As Mancmum says you're still employed so are entitled to nothing I'm afraid. BUT I did get a large increase in tax credits. I got £400 a month from them. HTH.

Isn't it sad that you would be better off handing in your resignation and claiming benefits!?

Find out if you are entitled to the sure start grant too - that is based on your Child Tax Credits...

i wasnt entitled to anything whilst i was on mat leave as you are still employed...

i started to get benefits once the mat leave ended and i was made redundant straight away (so i was unemployed) (the whole company went under so everyone was made redundant)

You don't get nothing = you can get maternity allowance which is just over £100 a week. Not marvellous, I know, but better than a poke in the eye.

Aloha - You don't get maternity allowance whilst on Additional maternity leave from your Employer! You only get that if you're not entitled to Statutory Mat Pay ie if you are self-employed, unemployed or haven't been working in a particular place long enough.

Puddingz is talking about using up her 6months SMP entitlement then claiming benefits whilst still on Mat Leave.

i don't thikn you;'ll get anything

you are choosing to take that extra time off work, and you are still employed

why would you be entitled to benefits?

Thanks for all of the advice. To answer your question followthestarlover - I need to pay the bills, the rent, buy clothes and food etc, while receiving no money for the last 6 months and so I need to plan when to sell my ds for money.

yes, but you've chosen not to have an income iyswim? you could go back to work, but you don't want to... which is why you won't get benefits. i think!

remember though, you will be getting child benefit, and may be entitled to child tax credits/working tax credits depending on how much you earn

Hi - i have 2 jobs and due to start my mat leave soon. I am eligible for smp from my main employer but not my 2nd job as only work a few hrs each week.
Does anyone know if i can claim Maternity allowance benefit for that job, or can you not claim smp twice, even if you have 2 jobs ?

I don't think you can claim SMP twice as it is paid by the government (well your employer pays you and then claims it from the government).

I think SMP is now 9 months not 6 months BTW.

AML is essentially leave without pay so you are not entitled to benefits.

Thanks for that, so i cant get smp from my main employer and maternity allowance via the jobcentre for my 2nd job?

No - only one or the other. (You only get maternity allowance if you don't qualify for SMP I think)

thought it might be, thanks anyway.
Good news is i think, as long as you had 2 jobs before you start mat leave you are allowed te return to one of them whilst still claiming smp for the other - so have to do that instead..
Thanks again