Government Maternity Allowance - can anyone shed any light?

[iamwhaticallpregnant]

Am I entitled to any Government Maternity Allowance is my question? Is anyone else claiming this?

I am not entitled to anything by a company (statutory mat pay). I have worked probably 20ish weeks this year due to having to move towns and a lack of work in my new city. I have always worked but have just found this year particularly challenging due to personal circumstances (leaving a marriage and having to move away and therefore having to leave my job). I have never claimed anything before but I am due in February and am panicking a bit as I won't be able to work after I give birth and I am just wondering if I can get anything.
I have a partner and he works (low wage).
Any experience?

www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/overview

This should help. I think it is maternity allowance you are looking at.

Thanks SundaeSundae
I have looked at that link - but they seem to say

"You may be able to get Maternity
Allowance (MA) if you have been employed or self-employed
for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before
the week you expect to have your baby"

My circumstances mean I have only worked about 20ish weeks, not 26

Does that mean I get nowt? Just wondering if anyone has had the same experience as this and had any luck? Anyone on the phone is so unhelpful so I am just wondering if anyone has any real life experiences?

Are you working at the moment?

When you say you have worked for 20 weeks this year, do you mean since January? If yes and you are no longer working then you won't get MA.

Yes - I worked Feb, March, April and July. I am a contract worker and there just arent any contracts at the moment. Thought more would come along - and they didnt, and then got pregnant. Awful.

In that case you won't get it, if you can work for 6 weeks between now and when you are due then you may be able to.

Are you self employed?

Just an idea, could you get a temporary Christmas job? Might give you the 6 extra weeks if you could get some hours in January too?

Good ideas - I could try. I just worry as I am visibly pregnant no one will offer me anything. I am not self employed. I am a teacher and have always taught through agencies - but now there are no jobs about. I would love to get a retail job for Christmas but as I have taught for 10 years they generally wont give me anything but teaching work.

You say your partner is on a low wage. What about you yourself? If your combined wages are under a certain threshold you could be eligible for Child Tax Credit once the baby is born. Worth looking into.

Yes i am pretty sure we are going to be eligible for working tax credits and child tax credit once the baby is here. I am just a bit upset about not being able to get any maternity allowance. He earns about 240 a week after tax and if i could get work teaching i earn about £20 an hr for any teaching hours - but i havent been able to earn anything since the end of july.

If you think you will be eligible for working tax credit once the baby is born, you could probably start claiming them now (you don't need a child to claim working tax credit). So I'd say look into that and then request the form. Then once the baby is born you add the child to your claim (just by giving them a call, I don't think you need to fill out any more forms) to add the child tax credit element.

When is your due date? 66 weeks is obviously considerably longer than a year, so are you counting from the start of Jan 2012 because that is 66 weeks before your due date, which would make it some time in March 2013? If so I'd try really hard to get any job at all for another 6 weeks between now and March so you are eligible for MA.

If you are not eligible for MA you might be eligible for Income Support, but eligibility for this will take your partner's income into account. A good website to see what benefits you are/will be entitled to is www.turn2us.org.uk. You will need all your and your partner's financial details to type in so it can tell you how much of which benefits you may be entitled to. You should also be able to get free benefits advice from your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

Or April 2013 even - sorry, can't count.

hi I've just applied for maternity allowance myself. i think you only have to earn £30 per week if i remember rightly. that could be one shift a week, even in a low paid job. hope it all works out for you.

hello you will get a definitive answer from this number 08456088610 i called them yesterday and they were really helpful. its based on national insurance contributions over a period of 13 weeks in the year leading up to your pregnancy. worth applying be

good luck

wow - thanks everyone for your help - you have no idea how much I appreciate it. I have applied for about 10 Christmas / seasonal retails jobs since yesterday (I never even considered this before). I will also call that number. Thank you SO much

You could try private tutoring, in the hours that your partner is at home to look after the baby (I'm talking about when you have the baby obviously). You can charge £25 per hour for this. I know loads of teachers who do it to top their income up when they reduce their school hours after having a baby.

Doesn't sound like you will get MA though unless you can work more between now and the birth. You might be able to get a Maternity Grant though due to low income. I think you can also get something thats meant to help you pay for fruit and veg during pregnancy, if you have a low income.

Have a look on the government website and apply for anything you might get. They will say no if you don't qualify, so its worth a try.

Good luck.

Just wanted to check in with an update. It literally had not occurred to me until I started this thread that I could get a Christmas job and get my 26 weeks of work. SO THANK YOU madamecake !!! I have bagged myself a Christmas job starting Monday - and they are even interested in me working there after I have my baby. I can not THANK YOU all enough!! If I could give you all cake I would do. xxxxx

Thats great news! So pleased for you!