Claiming maternity allowance for self employment?

[3rdbump]

Baby is due end of may, am 27 weeks pregnant.
I have been self employed in my new business for 1 year.

I am wanting to take off around 6 weeks after the baby is born, i don't want to completely abandon my business for longer than this as its retail online based and don't want it to suffer.

Can i claim M/A for this amount of time? (6 weeks)
Or do i have to take it for the full 39 weeks? (i take it if its for the full 39 weeks i am unable to earn anything?)
Of course i will be busy with baby so work load i will reduce for a while afterwards for probably around 1 year but i still want to be trading.
How did you manage keeping your business going (sole trader) on maternity allowance?

Hi,

I'm not sure the answers to your questions, but I'd download and take a close look at the form now. It is mega.

Good luck!

I claimed it for the full 39 weeks but I think you can say you are returning to work before that time. You are also allowed so many kit days. I would save them for as.long as possible. That way you can use them up at the end and get extra ma but also be doing some work.

Is there any way you could draft someone in to help out while you are on maternity leave? Its just its a decent amount of Money to lose and you will have to be doing a significant amount of work to cover that money.

They are strict about not working and claiming at the same time. But if you had someone doing a few hours a week for you and paid them as a s/e person and did the admin for that on a kit day then I am not sure if you would be classed as working.

Ring them and ask. There is a.helpline on the form I think. Also maybe worth asking if you can split your kit days in half.

I have taken the mat pay and have got someone in to cover my work to keep the business going, do the figures it might be worth you employing someone?

It's for up to 39 weeks, but you can take less. I'm claiming MA at the moment but I'm only taking 5-6 months. You can also use 10 keeping in touch days to work while still claiming it so be sure to use them too.

Also get the form downloaded now as it's really long and you need to get proof of earnings etc to send along with it.