Maternity pay/allowance

[Rosebuds79]

Hi there, I'd like any advise please. I'm currently 23 weeks and have been put on sick. I understand your earnings are calculated over a specific period before the birth to see if you are eligible for statutory sick pay or maternity allowance. But as agency staff I don't think I've earned enough due to sickness and lack of work in the specific time its calculated.
Can anyone offer me any advice, I'm getting a bit anxious to be honest ;(

If you don't qualify for maternity pay through your employer you will get maternity allowance from the DWP instead. It's the same circa £139 for the same number of weeks just without the potential top up to 90% of salary at the beginning.

Being on sick leave still counts as being in employment. Don't worry about it. You are entitled to statutory maternity pay if you started working for the agency 40 weeks before your due date (ie before you got pregnant), even if you have a zero hours contract. If you havent been employed for that long but have worked in the past year, check the government website and calculate how many weeks you've been employed over the last year or so (I think it's past 66 weeks? Check online), and apply for maternity allowance if you fit into the range. You need to get a maternity certificate from your midwife to apply, and also need your employer to state why they won't pay you statutory maternity pay. If you aren't elegibile for either statutory maternity pay or maternity allowance you are entitled to go on income support if you are a single mother, or nothing if your partner works full time. Again, check the gov. website for details. You are entitled to working tax credits for 1 year after you leave for maternity leave, even if you dont plan on returning, and either way you are entitled to child tax credits.

Phew! Thank you so much for your replies you've no idea how you've eased my mind been fretting all day. Thank you xx

I think out of the 8 qualifying weeks I had 5 payslips. Hope this is enough for something

Make sure your matb1form is signed asap as I had ds early and it was a nightmare claiming mat allowance without it already done.

You have to send 13 weeks worth of payslips out of the past 66 weeks - there should be a leaflet with the maternity allowance pack which shows your qualifying period. They told me to send the payslips where I earnt the most money. To get the maximum MA you need to have earned at least £155 per week.

Great at least the weeks can be any in mat allowance instead of all heaped together for statutory. If I'm not eligible for one at least I'll get the other. Happy days!