Maternity Allowance Query

[seashell81]

Hiya, I'm just working out what I can claim for maternity and hoping someone out there has some knowledge! Baby is due at the end of May. I will be applying for maternity allowance as I haven't had consistent employment this year. Now I have read that you are eligible to claim MA if you have worked 26 weeks out of the 66 weeks before baby's due date. My query is whether this needs to be full-time work. For example, so far I have worked 19 weeks full time and 8 weeks part-time (2 days a week). My current contract ends this week. I am determined to find full-time employment for the coming few months but i'm trying to find out if I will still be eligible if I am unable to find anything.
I hope this makes sense/isn't too garbled. Feel free to ask questions if it's not clear!
I'd be interested in anyone else's experience of claiming maternity allowance.
Thanks x

Doesnt need to be FT. Pt work counts too.

All work counts. If I remember right you need to have earned over £30 a week over any 13 week period

All work counts. If I remember right you need to have earned over £30 a week over any 13 week period

www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/specialist-guides/technical-guidance/ni17a-a-guide-to-maternity/maternity-allowance-ma/

To qualify you have to earn at least £30 a week for 13 weeks
AND
You've worked 26 weeks out of 66 up to your due date.
AND
You don't qualify for SMP

You can choose which weeks are your highest 13 over that period to give you the most money - they average your earnings over the 13 best weeks to calculate how much you get. They can be any week (they don't have to be in order.

You get £136.78 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings. Whichever is lower.

You've had some great advice here!

Just some extra things that may be relevant: you can't apply before you're 26 weeks, and you can't start your maternity leave until 29 weeks. I applied three weeks ago at 26 weeks and I rang up today as I'd heard nothing and was told they had a massive backlog, and to expect to hear something in another three weeks so be prepared for that to happen. They will backpay it to 29 weeks when they finally get around to processing it, but it's still annoying and obviously a cashflow issue for me. Hopefully it was just Christmas getting in the way, but still!!

£136.78p per week...

I'm self employed & still working at 37 weeks as who can actually live on £136.78p per week?!

Consultant was literally demanding I set a date to stop working when I attended a hospital appointment yesterday. When I'm in labour didn't seem to be the response she wanted!!