maternity allowance .. help?

[Tattybogle89]

Conflicting advice on maternity allowance on different websites.
Its worded on some, that as long as you are working 26 weeks out of 66 before baby due, and you earned over £30 per week, you will get £140 a week.

But other websites say you have to have paid enough national insurance contributions alongside these other rules , to qualify for the full £140 per week..

If I work part time and dont earn enough to pay national insurance, dont qualify for SMP but meet all the other criteria for maternity allowance, will I still get the full £140 a week? ( or 90% weekly earnings whichever is lower)

Some posts say N.I has nothing to do with maternity allowance so I'm very confused.

Anyone had similar situation? Thanks x

[Sundaygal]

From what I understand you have to pay your NI, but when you apply for Maternity Allowance they will contact HMRC to check if you have, if you haven't they will give you the option to pay it in order to be eligible.

Maybe give them a call and double check for your individual circumstances just to be sure.

[masterblaster2000]

Because they take my NI contributions quarterly and they hadn't taken the most recent payment by the time my maternity leave started I was given the option to pay my NI up to date and receive full maternity allowance. I had to pay £40 iirc in order to get the higher payment or I would have been put on the lower payment.

[RicStar]

Op Are you employed or self employed? The rules for MA are very different based on that.

[sprite25]

I wasn't sure if I qualify for this as was working for part of my pregnancy but am no longer at that job by 26 weeks pregnant so I've just filled out the form with my details and sent it off, surely they'll just say whether your entitled to it or not after you've given them all your details.

[Tattybogle89]

@RicStar I am just employed, not self employed. Its so confusing. I cant wait to send it away and just find out then unfortunately as that is a good few weeks away and a decision about leaving/changing jobs kind of rely's on whether or not I qualify for highest rate MA.
I dont earn enough to pay N.I
Which means I have worked more than the needed 26 weeks, dont qualify for SMP but should qualify for MA.
Its whether not paying N.I makes any difference when not self employed?
I looked the the M.A form online and it doesn't have a section to fill for how much N.I you have paid?
Please help.
Thanks x

[KCpip]

I recommend phoning the maternity line. I thought it would be some stuffy answer phone message type number where you eventually get through to someone who robotically gives you answers but that wasn't the case at all. In my last pregnancy they were really helpful and gave me advice about the best way to return to work to make sure I got my full maternity allowance entitlement. I'm sure they could talk you through the NI info although I think what other people have mentioned is correct you'll get an option to pay it if necessary.

[Tattybogle89]

Where would I find that number? Thank you

[arbrighton]

I certainly haven't been awarded the full £140

I've paid relevant NICs for my earnings (very part time hours and low earnings) and paid a top up but am going to get...................


£27 a week

[arbrighton]

(That's being self employed though)

I couldn't make head nor tail of how it worked if you were employed...

[KCpip]

Sorry it's been a while since I phoned it. If you try this number and say it's about maternity allowance they might give you another one to try. This is job centre claims line for maternity allowance. If you find it can you let me know! Good luck! 0800 055 6688

[Tattybogle89]

Thank you x

[Yolannnda]

I worked part time earning just under the criteria, I got 90% of my earnings as maternity allowance. I think it is £140 or 90% of your average salary whatever is lower.

[Tattybogle89]

@Yolannnda hi, do you mean just under the criteria for smp or n.i contributions? Were u paying national insurance in the weeks used to claim the maternity allowance? Thank you x

[RicStar]

If you are employed then your NI record won't matter. You can pick you highest paid 13 weeks in the 66 week period they will pay you either 90% of that or £140 per week whichever is lower. To not pay NI you can earn up to around £150 per week - 90% of that is about £135 - so if you have not paid NI it is likely you will get less than £140 per week.

[Yolannnda]

Yes just under the criteria for SMP. I cant actually remember but my wages were about £5 a week under whatever the bracket was. If I did pay NI it was minimal but I dont think any was paid!

[beccii161016]

Honestly I don't know what you've read but your NI or other tax contributions have no bearing on your MA award. It's based solely on your earnings.

Send them your most recent 12 weeks (or 3 months however you get paid) payslips with your form. They will work out your average weekly earnings. If 90% of your average wage is £140 or more, you get £140. If it's lower than £140, you get however much your average weekly wage is :)

They do take some take from the maternity allowance. I get the full award and it's around £280 a fortnight.

[beccii161016]

Take some tax * sorry! And the full award is around £380 after tax just to clarify!

[beccii161016]

My word, autocorrect is not my friend! £280 it's £280!!

This definitely has nothing to do with sleep deprivation