MATERNITY ALLOWANCE!

[katmiaow]

I know that this is a well beaten topic and that nothing seems to be getting any better in terms of the Department of Work and Pensions/Government handling of it but I'm looking for some advice from anyone that's applied for Maternity Allowance in the last month. I applied for mine 3 weeks ago via recorded delivery and have still to hear any confirmation of my form being received or decisions regarding my application. I ceased working 2 weeks ago and therefore have ZERO money coming in but I have been informed via the "helpline" that I can't get any information regarding the status of my claim until 24 working days have passed (5 weeks?!!?!) without hearing anything from them. I would have applied for the benefit earlier but as I work in hospitality the weeks running up to christmas were really important to raising my average weekly earnings. I am also aware that as I was still working when I sent off my forms (maternity allowance, 13 weeks payslips, mat B and SMP1) that even once a decision has been made, I will more than likely need to re-send a declaration confirming that I stopped work when I said I was going to, adding another wait of god only knows how long on the end of this.

Can anyone who has applied for maternity allowance since the end of December 2016/beginning of January 2017 confirm if they're still waiting for the useless morons to process their claim or how long they waited before hearing anything back?

My due date is the beginning of March but I'm starting to get really angry that the DWP don't take maternity allowance seriously, how am I supposed to pay my rent or feed myself without them helping me in any way?

Yep still waiting for mine. I think I sent mine off at the exact same as you! Heard absolutely nothing yet. I want to stop in March, I'm claiming because I'm self employed so I can start / stop when I like I guess? Do you have to prove that you've stopped working then??

do you have support from a partner OP?

have you looked into whether you are eligible for housing benefit as mat allowance won't be enough to cover rent unless this is v low?

My maternity allowance is due to the fact that I don't earn enough in my employment as I'm a full-time student with a part time job (earning about £5000 a year). However, my average weekly earnings for the slips I sent in are £165 so I should be eligible for the full £139.58 a week.

I do have a partner that works full time but our outgoings (the extortionate rent in Edinburgh for a 2 bed) rely on both of us earning, so the £560 a month that I should get for MA is really important to us. His earnings are over the threshold for us to get any other support even in terms of tax credits, let alone housing benefits etc. I've got a very small savings pot that I can fall back on this month but it's just the stress of not knowing along with hormones etc that I can't cope with. Even though I know it's all going to work out fine and it'll be back dated, I'm finding EVERYTHING so stressful just now, I've spent the whole day in tears just thinking about it.

My understanding Musicmomma is that if you send the forms when you're still working then it's a 2 part process as they won't pay you until you confirm that you've stopped working!

Ditto. Also se and was dithering when to claim

Can from 26w but apply from 28w which was Early Jan for me

I sent form off maybe 2w ago

Heard nothing

Hate having no money of my own - tho have a df who pays bills etc and gives me money bless him

I'm hoping to get a huge back pay in a couple of weeks

Now 31w so that's 5w they owe me .......

So blood hard being se when preg compared to employed and smp

I sent the first form off end of November and I didn't get my reply til first week January, then had to wait another 10 days or so for HMRC letter to pay my NI contributions. Got a second letter confirming the full amount but had to wait til I'd finished working to send the confirmation back. Just finished up work today and will send form back tomorrow to confirm I have finished and to start mat allow from now - don't really know how long it's going to take for first payment to come through as I asked for monthly and they pay in arrears. It is stressful as we too need the money :(

But I guess not as stressful as not having any access to maternity support at all, and my god do I need the break - still got 4 weeks to go and brain is mush already!

I sent my forms off in the Xmas hols and heard back this week. Sent the other form back straight away as have now finished work, so will see how long this second stage takes. They did tell me when I called recently that they had a 2 week backlog.

I sent forms on 19 December, received 22 December. They said I wouldn't get a response until 27 Jan (although website says 2 weeks). Actually received response 1 week ago but no cash yet, think I may get it first week of Feb as the second payment date is early March.

Thanks for the reply guys. It's so rubbish having to rely on other people for money and although OH and I are in a better position than a lot of other people, I'm honestly just feeling so stressed about how we're going to cope financially when our little boy is here in 5 weeks and feel like I need answers NOW.

Great to know that turn around time seems to be about 3/4 weeks - as my biggest concern is that I'm going to hear absolutely nothing and have to go through the process again. It's not helping matters that my pregnancy has given me a very short fuse and absolutely no patience whatsoever!

I honestly seem to do nothing with my days other than worry and tally up direct debits these days, please tell me that I'm not that only one...

katmiaow my little one is due in 4 and a half weeks if that makes you feel any better. I'm sure it'll all get sorted and payments will kick in soon enough.

Sorry I know this is an old thread just wondering how anyone else go off? I've been waiting 5 weeks already! Have rang but they don't seem bothered at all!

hi all hoping for some help- very confused! I start maternity leave at 28weeks pregnant in November , I'm not entitled to smp from my employer as I've worked for them less than a year (10months) my question is - is it 'statutory maternity pay ' I am applying for from the government - or is it 'maternity allowance ' or are they the same thing ? 🙈 I have downloaded and printed the form for 'maternity allowance' but now wondering if it's smp I need ... xxx

The eligibility for SMP is 26 weeks employed by 15 weeks before your due date, not over a year. Try this:

www.gov.uk/pay-leave-for-parents

It's hard to advise without your exact start date and due date.

thankyou ! my start date with them was 6th Jan 18, and my maternity leave will start 11th November , they have told me that their policy is that if I haven't worked for them for a full year then my pay doesn't come from them - so can I claim smp from government then instead of maternity allowance ? very confusing 🙈 xxx

@Loujesssoph I think SSP is still paid by employer? It's just that you won't be eligible for company maternity scheme.

But double check with maternity action: www.maternityaction.org.uk/your-rights/ Heard good things about their helpline as well. ACAS is also great for legal information on your rights at work and potential disputes with your employer.

SMP is indeed paid by the employer, although it can be reclaimed to various levels.

What's your actual due date Loujesssoph? I'm also thinking your employer is on shaky ground here, the law re SMP says you must have been employed for 26 weeks by the qualifying week - which is week 25 of your pregnancy. By my reckoning that means if baby is due any time after October 20th (which it must be given you say you're starting mat leave in November) then you are legally entitled to SMP from your employer.

From the sounds of it you should be entitled to SMP. A lot of companies offer enhanced pay after a certain length of service (a year, 2 years etc) but they can't decide how long you have to work for them to get SMP as that is decided by the government.

If you're unsure have a look on the gov.uk website as it's helpful in working out what you're entitled to and how much it's likely to bet