Maternity Allowance for self employed?

[artyjoe]

I'm self employed but have been told I should be able to get Maternity Allowance, but does anyone know where I go to get this from? I keep getting conflicting advice so have no idea where to go and at 23 weeks pregnant I'm assuming I should be thinking about this now.

Does anyone know if there is a standard amount you get paid and for how long, or do they measure it based on your income etc?

Any advice would be great.

Thanks - Joe

Artyjoe,

A friend of mine has just claimed this - she was delighted that I told her about it! She said she had to pay some backdated optional NI (about £2.20 per week working) to claim the MA, then she gets £102 per week for (I think) 26 weeks. It is income dependent - it you earn less than this on average, they will give you 90% of what you earn. Note the 'on average' - if you've had a few weeks when you've earned loads, that will bring the average up.

Alternatively, if you've been employed in a NI paying job recently, you may be able to get the MA on the back of that.

I think she spoke to the tax office, though the benefits office would also help.

Much more info on www.tiger.gov.uk (I think it's down at the mo, though) or try www.dti.gov.uk, but they just send you to tiger, I think.

Good luck.

The maternity alliance web site has some really useful info

www.maternityalliance.org.uk

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Thanks for this. I can't give proof of earnings in terms of pay slips as I'm self employed. I pay two lots of national insurance so I'm assuming I'll be okay with that side of it. I'll try and get onto tiger and see what they have to say.

Thanks for this - Joe

I'm getting this at the mo - £102 per week.

I don't think you need to prove your earnings with payslips if you've paid your NI contributions (you just tell them which periods you've paid it for and you should have your receipts which tells you the period on it) - I've certainly never sent in any payslips. All I get as proof of earnings are the top half of the invoice on which the cheque is attached from the client. I've never had to send anything off except the MATB1 form that you get from your midwife.

Can't remember where you download the form from but if you go to the inland revenue website www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk - it sends you to the right place - I'm sure that's how I found it.

HTH

You claim as soon as you can after 26 weeks.

You should be able to claim-I did.All they ask is that you have paid NI contributions for 26 of the 66 weeks before your due date.I got my form from the local social security office.

I have just spoken to the Inland Revenue as I had to register as being self employed and the nice man (yep he was nice!!) said that I could claim Maternity allowance too, provided I have paid the correct amount of National insurance which at £2.05 per week is not much!

It is well worth looking into.

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