Maternity allowance

[MammyK26]

I'm self employed and applied for Maternity Allowance. I've had the letter to say I've been awarded £27pw 😣 but a letter from HMRC is on the way in order for me to top up my class 2 national insurance so I'll get the higher rate of £140pw. Obviously I'll do this as surviving on £27 a week is impossible. My question is how long does the letter/Bill from HMRC take to come and how long after I make the payment will the DWP adjust my MA?

Due to my job I've had no option other than to finish at 29weeks. I'm now 31 weeks and got zero income and I'm starting to panic a bit. DH is paying for the house and bills but I use my money on Ds1 activities, clothes, food shop and final bits for the baby.

This happened to me and I had to top up in order to get the higher allowance rate too. I can't remember exactly how long it took but it was definitely a few weeks.

Its so hard isn't it. Due to my job I had to finish at 32 weeks and had two weeks without any money. Its really tricky when you work for yourself. I lived off credit cards for a month and now I'm trying to pay them off quickly!

I'm really starting to fret. It's hard enough a drop in income but to go from a wage to absolutely nothing is awful I just can't survive.
Using credit isn't an option as my score is pretty poor and I don't want to get into debt when I'm going to have such a low income for the next year.

I'm not clued up on the benefit system at all because I've never claimed.
DH income is ok but nothing at all left after bills.

I've looked into an advance on MA but this doesn't look like an option. Such a nightmare. I'm stressed and worried when I should be relaxing the most. My sleep is suffering as well as my eating habits I feel awful because of it all.

I'm in the same situation - DH's money pays the bills but I have no money to spend on myself and DS for clothes or activities, or even a lipstick to cheer me up. I lost my contract the second I told my employer I was pregnant, so I get no maternity pay and can't even claim statutory because DH earns too much for me to be able to claim any benefits

Claim statutory what? MA isn't a means tested benefit. I'm guessing you mean other benefits you could call your own?
Your husband is expected to support you and the children but one wage to keep a family of 4 doesn't go far. Slightly different situation to mine but nevertheless absolutely rubbish. Even more so when you've paid in year after year and can't get a penny out when you need it. Drives me insane.

I honestly don't know how I'm going to get through. It's such a strain on home life and relationship too. Even more so it's the Easter Holidays soon and I'd love to take DS on a few days out as it'll be last hols it's just him.
I was employed FT with ds1 so got smp last time which just came as my usual monthly wage. I had no time without any income.

MA isn't means tested but it has eligibility conditions. You either have to be employed, self employed or recently employed. My last job ended before I got pregnant so I'm not eligible because my last employment wasn't recent enough. I had a new job lined up but when they found out I was pregnant they made an excuse to cancel my contract. I literally can't get a single penny. It's awful. DH is expected to keep me but there isn't anything left over.