Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

Original poster

Maternity allowance need help?!

22 replies

Gemmamarie92 · 12/07/2018 18:12

Hi, does anybody know anything about maternity allowance ? My work have just said they won’t pay me SMP as I don’t earn enough - I earn £122 a week but I don’t pay tax or NI because I don’t earn enough. Do I need to pay NI to get maternity allowance and how much will I get? On some of the websites it says 90% of your average weekly earnings but then I’ve also read £27 a week?!!! That’s nothing nearly £100 a week less !
Now I’m worrying! Any help much appreciated as they don’t tell you anything when you ring them up!! And I have to wait 2 more weeks before I can even send the form off!

Thanks

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Hellohah · 12/07/2018 18:15

www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/eligibility

Izzyw1983 · 12/07/2018 21:30

As far as I've worked out it's 145 a week....plus 80 child benefit per month....

Pumpkin2018 · 12/07/2018 22:10

I would double check with your employer, the government website says you only need to earn the ELE for NI (lower earning limit) which is £116 per week over a 8 week qualifying period and to have been in the job at least 26 weeks at week -15 to receive SMP. I've only earned £119 per week and my employer told me this week that I do qualify.

www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/eligibility

lulabaloo · 12/07/2018 22:14

Ye i got maternity allowance and asked to be paid every 4 weeks. I got £340.

Original poster

Gemmamarie92 · 12/07/2018 22:33

@pumpkin2018 I thought that , it said I would qualify when I used the calculator online but today my employer said I dont.
It’s so confusing.

@lulabaloo how much did you earn a week if you don’t mind me asking? Did you pay NI?

OP posts:

BlueBug45 · 13/07/2018 00:15

OP tomorrow talk to the helpline of Maternity Action www.maternityaction.org.uk/

especially if your employer is a small one as a lot of smaller employers get things around maternity pay and rights wrong.

Basically the employer has to pay your SMP and then claim it back. This can take over a year so it's in their interests to see if they can get out of paying it. However they are allowed as a smaller employer to be loaned some or all the money in advance.

lulabaloo · 13/07/2018 06:07

Yeah I would ring them up and ask! Have your pay slip ready! I was on a salary as i work term time and only 2 days a week! So i earned just below the cut off my boss said! At the time i earned £447 a month wasn't sure how much that worked out a week as i was term time.

MaverickSnoopy · 13/07/2018 06:43

Maternity pay is calculated based on what you earnt between weeks 17-25 of your pregnancy and needs to be at least £116/week during this period. If you ran the online calculator www.gov.uk/pay-leave-for-parents and it said you were entitled and the figures you put in were accurate then you are entitled.

I would run the calculator again and print out the full results showing how it's been calculated. Email it to them and ask how they made their calculations and why they think you are not entitled. If you still don't get anywhere then contact Maternity Action who will be able to help.

beccii161016 · 13/07/2018 07:54

I received MA in 2016/17. At that time it was £140 a week OR 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever was lowest was the one you got. They work your average weekly pay by looking at 12 weeks or 3 months of payslips or they did for me.

For me the £140 a week was lower so that's what I got, it was just under £600 a month I got. If you're unsure call HMRC and speak to them about it but if you get the application form online, it prints with a booklet explaining how to fill it in and what to send off. When they've received it they'll take a few weeks to work out what you'll be paid and they'll send a letter with your award.

JustVent · 13/07/2018 07:58

So I don’t earn enough to pay tax either.

My boss said to me that I have to work at least 9 hours a week bewteen 18-25 weeks to qualify for maternity pay.

How many hours do you do and how many weeks are you?

Original poster

Gemmamarie92 · 13/07/2018 08:06

@justvent
I work 15.5 hours a week and I’m 25 weeks now
It just doesn’t make sense I earn over the £116 a week & on the government website calculator it says I am entitled to SMP
So I don’t know they’ve worked it out at work

OP posts:

JustVent · 13/07/2018 08:12

Reading all these replies, I’m as equally confused as you.
I’m going to look at my bosses email again and see what she put.

JustVent · 13/07/2018 08:15

Does this help you at all?

JustVent · 13/07/2018 08:17

Ok you’re definitely entitled if you’re earning £122 a week.

beccii161016 · 13/07/2018 08:19

I think you need to have another talk with your HR department OP as it doesn't sound like they have their information correct at all!

Sorry they're messing you around like this, it's another stress you don't need when you're pregnant!

amilosingitor · 13/07/2018 08:21

I'm going through exactly the same thing - my employer has kindly waited until the week I go off on May leave to tell me I don't qualify through them and have to apply for mat allowance.

Despite what I earn, during the particular weeks my employer had to look at, I'd had a week off sick I think as such it took my average in those particular weeks down below the qualifying amount however I think they look at different weeks for maternity allowance which is why I will qualify for that....that's what I've taken from it anyway but I need to call up too because it is confusing!! X

Original poster

Gemmamarie92 · 13/07/2018 08:23

@justvent yes that helps , I think there just trying to get out of paying me that’s what it looks like thanks

@beccii161016 it’s so annoying like you say another stress I don’t need !! I just want to know what I’m entitled to. I’ve emailed them again and sent them the gov website calculations that says I’m entitled to SMP. I’ll see what they come back with

OP posts:

Original poster

Gemmamarie92 · 13/07/2018 08:26

@amilosingitor it’s really annoying! How much mat allowance are you entitled to or you not sure yet? The only thing worrying me is when I saw the £27 a week and I’m thinking is that all I’m going to get on mat allowance

OP posts:

amilosingitor · 13/07/2018 09:20

From what I can work out the full amount but due to his delays I haven't even applied yet so looks like I've got a month without pay to go through

JustVent · 13/07/2018 09:34

OP when the baby is born you will also be entitled to tax credits (unless your husband is earning a lot of money?) and possibly housing benefit. Child benefit.

Original poster

Gemmamarie92 · 13/07/2018 14:36

I won’t get tax credits as he earns too much

I’ve spoke to my work and it’s basically to do with our cut off point and I was off sick. It’s really annoying / confusing it’s literally a few pounds because I was off sick. I was off in April went back start of May but because we get paid 2 weeks in advance it worked out I didn’t earn enough on Mays payslip 😩 how annoying

So now got to go through government for MA.

OP posts:

JustVent · 13/07/2018 15:06

That is a massive pain in the arse!! I really feel for you!

Flip