Maternity Allowance - help please!

[mustbemad17]

I'm looking through the MA claim form & i'm really baffled.

I'm no longer employed, but I meet the criteria for the amount of weeks worked prior to the baby, as well as the weekly wage limit etc.

All I am seeing is that you have to be employed/self employed or still someway attached to your work place. Has anyone else been between jobs & claimed MA?

You have to have been employed for 26 weeks out of the previous 66 weeks before the qualifying date (13 of those weeks at the minimum wage, you have to supply payslips to show this). You use that chart that's included in the application to work out if you're eligible. It's pretty straightforward. I claimed MA in my first pregnancy as I was self employed, but this time I was eligible because I was between jobs. I am in no way still attached to my previous workplace (unfortunately, my contract was fixed term and ended and there wasn't money to renew my salary).

When did you leave your last job? And how long did you work there for? As long as it was for 26 weeks out of the previous 66 and you can provide payslips showing minimum earnings for 13 of those 26 weeks, you should be eligible.

For example, I was employed on my previous contract from 1st October 2016 to 1st October 2017. I applied for maternity leave in the end of November 2017 (about 8 weeks after I left my position). It started in January of this year and my baby was due yesterday (so this week is the week my baby is due on the chart). So I've technically been out of work since October.

No you don't, but I agree that it is VERY confusing when you're not still employed.

I successfully claimed. I am due in 1 week (21st Feb). I was employed, albeit on mat leave, until August 2017 when I lost my job. I then had temp work for 9 weeks over Sept - Nov then nothing. Thankfully I was classed as 'employed' for the time I was on mat leave and my maternity pay counted towards 'earnings' (along with the 9 weeks of work).

I worked in my last job for 18 months, finished 27th October last year i think it was. I'm due 8th June, so by my calculations i'm within the window for qualifying weeks & my weekly pay was above the minimum.

It's so frustrating reading it, i think i've lost a few brain cells 😂 I'm trying to decide now i know i do qualify when to start it & i'm all fuddled.

Thanks both