I won't get Stat Maternity Pay

[Alisvolatpropiis]

I won't have been with my employer long enough to qualify.

Are there alternatives?

Yes, Google maternity allowance for details on eligibility and how to claim.

Thank you Lurking!

Don't wire too much . Afaik mat allowance is the same amount as mat pay just that it gets paid like benefits rather than through your employer as a wage .

Your employers need to give you an SMP1 Form to advise why they aren't paying you SMP then I think you go to the job centre and you can claim maternity allowance instead which I believe is the same amount as SMP.

Thanks all.

Is it quite rare to be turned down for maternity allowance? I've become panic stricken that I won't be approved for it.

Although this baby is wanted and theoretically planned we really weren't expecting to conceive in the first month of ttc.

I have just out in my application for MA as I started my new job at 8 weeks pregnant and therefore done qualify for smp. I will be so gutted if I didn't get it and will kick up such a fuss as have been employed continuously since uni but due to redundancy had to move jobs at 8 weeks pregnant. How soon should you find out once you have sent the paperwork? Does anybody know?

For MA, you need to have worked for any employer for a certain number of weeks over certain period. The time frame is determined by your due date. I found the form quite complicated but the DWP department that deals with it was quite helpful. You don't have to go to the Job Centre, unless they've changed it since Jan.

Here's a good guide.

www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/overview.

Are you sure you won't be entitled to SMP? I think as long as you were employed when you conceived then you're eligible. So MA would only apply if you've changed jobs. As someone mentioned, to claim MA you need a letter from your employer stating they won't pay SMP.

newmom, mine took about 6-8 weeks but that was over the xmas period. They back dated the pay.

As things turned out I was already pregnant when I started. Found out two weeks in.

Also, don't have a contract with them per se, rolling temp thing. So I'm a "worker" not even an employee.

Thank you for the link Toast