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Original poster

SMP/ maternity allowance?

20 replies

Laurashakey · 27/08/2021 10:32

Hiya I was just wondering if we’ve got anyone here who has recently changed their jobs and is not qualified for SMP from work?

I am not qualified in my workplace however I have received SMP1 from my employer which is basically a from that states why I am not entitled of SMP( haven’t been wirh them long enough) but was advised to apply for maternity allowance.
I was wondering if because I am employed by the company just not been with them long enough, I would still receive 90% of my wage but from the government, or would I be receiving £152 a week instead? I have always had jobs since Young age so never really had any unemployment gaps and never been on benefits before.
This bit confuses me not sure if anyone is familiar wirh this.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 27/08/2021 10:35

Maternity allowance is a set amount each week and doesn't have the 90% of wages bit like SMP does.

Original poster
Laurashakey · 27/08/2021 10:37

@dementedpixie thank you! Just wanted to see if it would be sort of the same.
Thanks for your reply :)

OP posts:
Itllbeaninterestingchristmas · 27/08/2021 10:46

You have to have learnt over a certain amount for a certain number of weeks to qualify for the whole amount of MA. Theres a form on the internet to claim MA, print it out and the guidance notes. Both times I got less the first fortnight and then the full amount after that. I had to prove I had paid NI.

Original poster
Laurashakey · 27/08/2021 10:49

@Itllbeaninterestingchristmas thank you!

I have sent them my payslips and my SMP1 form, I believe I would pay the right amount of NI so fingers crossed it will be fine. How long did you get paid MA? Did you have any additional benefits at all? Sorry I am so unsure about benefits. What happened after you finished your MA? Did you go back to work or was you able to claim anything to have some more time with your baby?

Thanks in advance sorry so many questions.

OP posts:
TakeYourFinalPosition · 27/08/2021 11:21

Do you have a partner? Whats their income? That won’t affect your MA, but will affect whether you could claim anything else, either in addition to the MA or after it’s finished.

You’ll get £151.97 a week if you qualify for the whole amount, for 39 weeks; and then £27 a week for a further 14 weeks.

dementedpixie · 27/08/2021 11:38

You dont get an extra £27 a week for 14 weeks

You get a straight £151.97 for 39 weeks and then it stops.

dementedpixie · 27/08/2021 11:40

Maternity Allowance for 39 weeks

You might get Maternity Allowance for 39 weeks if one of the following applies:

  • you’re employed, but cannot get Statutory Maternity Pay
  • you’re self-employed
  • you’ve recently stopped working

In the 66 weeks before your baby’s due, you must also have been:

  • employed or self-employed for at least 26 weeks
  • earning (or classed as earning) £30 a week or more in at least 13 weeks - the weeks do not have to be together

You may still qualify if you’ve recently stopped working. It does not matter if you had different jobs or periods of unemployment.

Original poster
Laurashakey · 27/08/2021 11:57

Thanks all.

Yes, my partner is self employed.

OP posts:
Original poster
Laurashakey · 27/08/2021 11:58

Do I qualify for child benefit once the baby is born? If so how much is that per week/month? Sorry just trying to figure out my finances x

OP posts:
LIZS · 27/08/2021 12:02

Depends how much your partner earns as cb is tapered after earnings of 50k . You can claim it (about £20 pw) and he would repay any excess by his tax return. Even if you are not fully entitled or opt out of receiving the payments it is worth registering for it to cover your ni record.

Original poster
Laurashakey · 27/08/2021 12:04

Ah right, thank you, no he does not earn past 50K x

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 27/08/2021 12:11

If neither of you earn over £50k then you can claim child benefit without having to pay any of it back. Even if either of you did earn over £50k you could still claim CB but some may need to be paid back via a self assessment tax return.

Sprogonthetyne · 27/08/2021 12:12

How much does your partner earn (roughly)? If you tell use that we can suggest what other benefits you might qualify for.

Another note apply for MA as soon as you can, it took forever for them to process my form, so I didn't get any money until 2 months after baby was born. They do back date it, money was tight while waiting.

Original poster
Laurashakey · 27/08/2021 13:20

@Sprogonthetyne I would say he earns close to 40K a year and I am on 19K per year.
I have sent off my form 3 days ago, I am not due to go on maternity until the 4th of October and the baby is due November time, so I will still have some money for November from my September pay, but then would need support from November onwards

OP posts:
Sprogonthetyne · 27/08/2021 13:46

[quote Laurashakey]@Sprogonthetyne I would say he earns close to 40K a year and I am on 19K per year.
I have sent off my form 3 days ago, I am not due to go on maternity until the 4th of October and the baby is due November time, so I will still have some money for November from my September pay, but then would need support from November onwards[/quote]
Glad you got the form in, mine took 4 months to process, but did involve an in year ni payment, which slowed it down. As yours will be simpler for them you should hopefully get it in time.

As your partner makes 40k I don't think there's anything other then child benefit you could claim if you decided to stay off work longer then maternity (the cut off's around 35k). But you will be eligible for tax free childcare if you do go back, and extra funded hours (30 instead of 15) once baby is 3 years old.

Itllbeaninterestingchristmas · 01/09/2021 08:13

Mine arrived quickly, Im self employed. It was wrong initially even though I had paid my NI so a couple of weeks later I got a back payment.
I went back at 9 months both times. I also got child benefit. Get that form filled in quick because its another £80 per month. You will be given the child benefit form in hospital

onanadventure · 06/09/2021 11:08

oh gosh ,this is terrifying the timeframe for applications to turnaround

My employer didn't tell me til AFTER I started mat leave that I didn't get SMP so I only applied in August after starting mat leave in July. (i signed contract 41w before due, but started 37w so wasn't sure which date they had used for calculations as they kept saying I got SMP until after I was off.

hoping ours is quicker.

I know you can only do 10 days of work within the mat allowance time period, but does that count days before you get confirmation? I'm part time self employed as well as full time employed and could do with doing a days work or so so I can get some money in the lul between applying and getting confirmation

dementedpixie · 06/09/2021 11:34

I think you can work on a self employed basis while getting SMP/MA

dementedpixie · 06/09/2021 11:35

Oops sorry, only applies if getting SMP. You can't do self employed work for more than 10 days on MA

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