Does anyone know anything about maternity allowance

[Victoriaaaaaaaa]

I'm currently off work sick with pregnancy related issues. I've had 2 of my 8 qualifying weeks for maternity pay and I'm still really not well but if I want SMP from my employer I need to go back tomorrow.

If I wasn't to go back and had to get MA does anyone know how it's based? I've read you can get either 90% of your wages or £30 a week! I can't really afford it to be £30 a week for 39 weeks 😳

I’m in the process of doing the forms for MA, I’m self employed.
It’s about £145 a week not £30

I think it's about £145 a week. I think you're mixing up with the fact that you have to have been earning at least £30 a week for 13 weeks out of the last 66 to be eligible.

www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/what-youll-get

Are you getting sick pay?

It's £145ish a week for 39 weeks, same as SMP but you don't get the initial 6 weeks at 90%.

If you earn less than £145 a week you'll get 90% of your wages for 39 weeks instead.

It's also based on the 13 highest paid weeks out of the 60 weeks prior to your due date. The weeks don't need to be consecutive but you do need to have worked (or been on leave from a permanent role) for 26 weeks.

You can still use shared parental pay if your partner is employed and would like to share the leave.

@DCIRozHuntley sorry to jump on thread but you seem to sound v knowledgeable 😉

Applying for MA this week.... online it says to send payslips in as proof of earnings. I am self employed and don't get payslips so do you know how I prove earnings? I need to show my best earning weeks to show I usually earn over the £145 but this year for various reasons hasn't been great and worried my average shown on my tax return may not show this...

www.simplybusiness.co.uk/knowledge/articles/2017/06/self-employed-maternity-pay-a-guide-freelancers-and-sme-owners/

Looks like it depends on your Class 2 NI contributions. You can top them up according to the link, if you haven't made enough to qualify for full MA

I had a letter from my employer as I didn't have payslips either.

However, as you're self-employed it goes on national insurance contributions. There is no need for proof of earnings. You need to have paid class 2 contributions for at least 13 weeks out of the 66 before your due date. You can back pay an amount (a few pounds a week) to top these up if you like.

The maternity allowance helpline are very helpful. The number I use is 0800 169 0283

@DCIRozHuntley ah been paying NI for years (even though at times been below the threshold!)

Thanks for that! That will hopefully save my accountant husband some time 😂 really helpful 👍😁

Ah glad it's helped. I've claimed 3 times in different circumstances - employed but got job while pregnant, employed but lost job while pregnant and employed but earning only £45 week so I've done a lot of reading about MA

You can check if you have paid enough NI on direct.gov website, you just need to enter your NI number.
Maternity Allowance people are very helpful, they must be based in Liverpool as whenever I called I got a friendly scouser!
I’m off on Mat leave now, I’m self employed, I had to pay an additional £38.35 to HMRC to cover NI contributions for next year, after doing that they have given me £148.60p/w as opposed to what would have been £27 per week.

We've only had a quick read on gov page and though "payslips"?? How am I gonna prove my earnings! My job is just me and my little one man band and very weather dependent so far for regular week to week or even season to season!

Nearly 28 weeks now so applying this week is top of the list.

There is currently a bit of a backlog i am told. Its taking 7/8 weeks to get payments to start.

prayingandhoping yes do it soon as there is a massive backlog at the moment and it takes a while!
Are you self employed?

That's what I'd heard. I've shoved it to top of list this week

Yes. 100% self employed.

Then you don’t need to send them payslips.
You need to fill out the MAT B1 form, you will need your midwife to fill out a certificate as prof your pregnant and then you send it all to them. It usually takes 6 weeks for them to respond, but took 8 for them to respond to me and then a further 10days for first payment to be made.

It's the MA1 form you fill in. MATB1 is filled in by midwife/gp

Yep have that from the midwife!

Thank you ladies! So helpful (and this is not sounding nearly as difficult as I thought it was going to be!)

Ahh sorry knew it was MA1 and MATB1 just got them mixed up! X

Yeah I'm on SSP at the moment have been for last 7 weeks. I returned to work part time after having my daughter. I've been back since November 2018 and have payslips - does it matter if holiday pay is on some of the weeks payslips I'll send?

I'm still really poorly so I have to go back to work tomorrow if I want to qualify for SMP from employer but I'm just puking everywhere and feel awful still so if I know I can definitely get 90% of my 13 weeks payslips then I'll be happy!

@DCIRozHuntley I've been employed by them since 2012 🙈

@IVEgottheDECAF you say that there’s a backlog for getting paid- I presume that if it is late, pay is backdated to the date you started maternity leave?

I am going on maternity leave end of October but need to wait to make my application as I will earn more during September, so need to wait for that payslip. I don’t mind waiting to be paid as long as I won’t miss out on any.

Yes, they will backdate to the day you put on your form!
The date I had was 27th July, haven’t received first payment yet, although I have received letter so I’m expecting it this Thursday...
Any questions do give them a bell, they are really helpful!

Yes they backdate

I am getting mine backdated to 24/6, not even had my letter yet

Hello

Just wanted to jump on this as it looks like I won't get pay from my employer.

Someone above (sorry forgot who) said you get MA for 39 weeks? Is this right? I thought it was just 6 months?

Thanks x

£148.68 (i think) for 39 weeks