Maternity Allowance - how do they work out income for test period?

[purplefig]

I’m wondering if anyone can help me with a couple of maternity allowance queries...

I've been self employed since 2015 (therefore including the 66 weeks before due date).

1. Do they contact HMRC for your earnings? Because I can't see anywhere in the form asking for income details.

1. Given the test period runs up until the day before your due date, how do they work out your income? As I'm not due until Feb 2020 - so obviously I haven't earned anything then yet, as it's in the future? 🤯

1. Did you send your form signed for or just regular post?

Thanks in advance if anyone can help!

This is on the .Gov site:

If you’re self-employed

To get the full amount of Maternity Allowance, you must have paid Class 2 National Insurance for at least 13 of the 66 weeks before your baby’s due.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will check if you’ve paid enough when youmake your claim. They’ll write to you if you have not.

If you have not paid enough Class 2 National Insurance to get the full rate (£148.68 a week), you’ll get £27 a week for 39 weeks. You still need to meet all the other eligibility criteria to get this amount.

You may be able to get the full rate by making early National Insurance payments. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will send you a letter to tell you how

If you've paid enough NI contributions then you get the full amount of MA (£148.68)

@dementedpixie thanks for the reply, much appreciated.

I've already submitted my 2018/19 tax return and paid the bill. That covers 6 April 2018 - 5 April 2019. (And obviously all previous tax returns have been submitted and paid.)

My test period is 4th November 2018 - 8th February 2020. So I will have paid tax and NI on income from 4th November 2018 - 5th April 2019 (5 months).

So am I right in thinking that should be fine as it covers more than 13 weeks?