Maternity allowance

[Rachelwebb91]

Hi guys, this is my first post on here so bare with me 🙈
Has anyone applied for maternity allowance recently and know how long it takes from receiving the form to process it then payment?
I sent it first class, signed for on Monday, they received and signed for it yesterday so just a waiting game now...
Wondered what everyone else's experiences where to see how long I might be waiting, seen mixed reviews from 2 weeks to 8+ weeks 🙈
Thank you 😊

Following this I'm interested to find out too. I sent mine last Thursday no idea how long it takes!x

They received my form on 19th June and I received notification on 4th July, so about 2 weeks. It seemed fairly quick.

I had this years ago when I had my son, it took about 3 weeks.

Ahhh that's great! So hopefully doesn't take too long.. How long did it take you to receive payment after getting the notification that you where entitled?

Just checking in as I sent mine today, rather late at 34 weeks. Have asked for backdated MA so hopefully it'll come through. The fatigue of this stage of pregnancy has hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks.

Oh dear! I'm just 27 weeks so sent mine off Monday by recorded delivery and they signed for it yesterday, so just wanting a rough time scale, been out of work a while now and getting pretty hard just on my partners income with a mortgage etc! Hopefully it doesn't take too long for us both essentialhummus! x

I will advice you apply for it as soon as you can, the time it takes to get approved depends on the policy in your place of work

This is for maternity allowance smp.. It doesn't go through an employer uadialej

Hello, just out of interest is maternity allowance the same as statutory mat pay? I.e. 90% full pay for 6 weeks and £140ish for 39 weeks?

My decision letter took about two weeks after I sent the application form and supporting info.
With the decision letter I got a form to fill out and send after I finished work.
I sent that last week and am hoping to receive first payment on Monday (as I specified on the form).
Don't want to worry you OP but just double check the paperwork as I didn't think you could start getting it til 29w?

Capricorn iirc you don't get the 90% for 6 weeks, it's just SMP rate £140 or 90% of your wage if that's less, for 39 weeks.

You have to have worked for 26 weeks in the 66 before due date and earn at least £30ish per week on average over at least 13 of those weeks.

Grumpy Susan... You can apply from 26 weeks but payments don't start until 11 weeks before your babies due 😊
Just double checked just incase!
Ahhh right, I finished work back in April but have worked enough and earned enough in my test period, so just hoping it doesn't take too long, they signed for it yesterday so hopefully I'll hear something in a couple of weeks.. Just hoping there is nothing wrong and it goes smoothly x

Thanks Polarbear☺️

Oh sorry I think I misread/misunderstood your post! So they signed the initial application form yesterday and you're awaiting the decision, is that right?

Grumpy Susan... Yes, by signed for I mean they signed for my application form from the postman as I sent it recorded delivery so I had proof that they received it and when, I've literally only just sent the form off to apply Monday morning, with my relevant payslips from my test period and my matb1 form 😊

Oh I'm with you now! It's been a long day
In that case about a fortnight for the decision letter and then I had to send off another form to say I'd finished work. Hopefully that will be processed quickly and I'll get first payment on time on Monday (I posted it back last weds).
I think the second form is a sort of acceptance of their decision and you tell them when to start so should be processed quicker.
Fingers crossed it happens quickly for you and you can start as soon as you hit 29w more or less?!

Polar is right apart from MA is 33 weeks; SMP is 39. All available on gov.uk.

Grumpy Susan... Ahhh right! No worries I know how that feels 😪
See I've not heard of having to sign the form and send it off unless your still working, but we will see!
So hopefully in 2 weeks ish I'll hear something! Fingers crossed!
Did you get a text when they received your form and when they had processed it before the letter? A lot of people said they did!
Fingers crossed you get your money Monday!

Oh that would save you a lot of faff if you didn't have to send another form off!
You just reminded me, I did get a text when they received my application on 19th June and my decision letter came on the 4th July if that helps with timescales.
Look you gave me a mini panic there, just checked and MA is 39 weeks too!

Ahhh that was nice and quick then!
Fingers crossed mines the same, I just want to know where I stand and what's happening! So we can only hope lol I'll just keep a look out for a text from then, received nothing as of yet
Yeah MA is 39 weeks 😊

Whoops! Soz. It's gone up since my first

It took about 3 weeks from getting the text to say they'd received it to the decision. Then the first payment was about a week after that! Hope yours doesn't take too long either!

MmmMalbec that's fab! Fingers crossed mine will be around the same! Did you have to sign and forms to send back etc? And how long ago did you reply? I just want to know if I'm definitely going to get it and when etc, so I can stop my pregnancy brain worrying lol x

Just wanted to say I had to pre pay some Class 2 NI contributions so initially I got a really worrying letter saying I was only getting £27 a week! But I phoned them and a few letter the letter automatically arrived, I had to pay about £40 I think.

They sent me a text on 14th June to confirm they had received my application which I sent on the 12th June. Yesterday I had a letter to say I was entitled to full payment and it will to into my bank within 10days! Took them ages and mine was really straight forward! They only pay you from 29 weeks tho which I misunderstood I thought they paid you from 28 weeks!