Maternity allowance, self employed & benefits

[monkeynut12]

Hi, its my first post here, I thought I would join after reading so many helpful threads!

Im expecting (due in september), my situation is a little complicated as me and my partner dont live together but will be moving in together in the next month or so.

I am currently self employed, I pay NI class 2 contributions, although I havent made any money or worked over 16 hours in the last year...as explained below.

I have a severley disabled 5year old, I receive IS and carers allowance for looking after him, I made the decision to go self employed with the advice of my job centre advisor, she said that its fine but if I work over 16 hours or make money then I have to declare it to them- which of course I would, however my sons condition worsened so this hasnt happened and I have remained on the benefits for the last 9 months.

In a month when I move in with my partner, all of my benefits will stop as he earns more than the threshold for me to get the benefits, so my questions is, as I have been self employed and paying class 2 NI, will I be able to receive maternity allowance even though I was previously receiving benefits? (I really do hope so, as up until last year when my son became ill, I never received a penny in help from the government!)

Thanks for reading, I appreciate any advice!

Hi,
yes as long as you have been paying your NI contributions you are entitled to maternity allowance as much as the next person. im kind of in the same boat as in been self employed since last july but havent made any money (was forced to go self employed by the job centre to qualify for a new trading grant even though i was in the middle of house renovations and nowhere near ready to start working).

i also get carers allowance for my elderly grandmother. now at 36 weeks i have just started my maternity leave (you can choose when you want to start yourself up to 11 weeks before the baby is born). My carers allowance has been stopped, as your not entitled to both - although your situation may be entirely different to mine. Id apply for the forms now so you can have a read through and see what they say. theyre available by just googling maternity allowance application forms online and ring the number to have them sent out. i recieved a letter saying i was entitled to £135 per week which i think is standard for everyone.

you should also check after the baby is born if you can still recieve child tax credits, if your not doing so already. congratulations by the way

Thankyou! You have no idea how much of a relief that is!

I do receive tax credits though think I will only get the bare minimum if anything at all when I move in with partner as he earns over 30k

Thankyou again!

Hi

are you getting working tax credits or child tax credits, if only the child ones you should be getting working tax credits for being self employed and on a low income yourself, may be worth looking into that too if your not already getting them, good luck