Smp/ma self employed help

[smileygirl1995]

Right so this is possible going to be a slightly confusing one, but I just needed some advice and help from someone that isn't just an automated voice on the phone or a robot at the end of a live chat 😣
So for the last 5 yrs I've been self employed running my own little business I don't make much only a couple hundred a month (it fluctuates) can be £200 one month or £20 the next etc
It's not a registered business or anything like that it's just something I set up but I do pay insurance etc
I also receive carers allowance as I care for my little niece.
If I am to claim in the near future for something like maternity allowance, as it stands I wouldn't be able to.
So how am I able to do this because I've not paid enough into the system I know i wouldn't be entitled, I've looked at voluntary contributions which I'd be happy to pay but it confuses me what I need to do in order to do this.....
I suffer with anxiety and also get quickly confused so just need to work out what I need to do or who I need to speak to to set up contributions each week/month
If anyone can make sense of this and offer any advice I'd appreciate it :)

You’ve been self employed for five years and haven’t paid any tax?

@peachypetite by the sounds of OP’s post she won’t pay tax and she falls way under the personal allowance threshold currently set at £12.5k so any earnings up to that amount are tax free.

@smileygirl1995 sorry I don’t know the answer as I am employed so much easier but if you call citizens advice I believe they are super helpful! Gov website seems to say that you should have been earning £30 a week or over to qualify for MA or been paying class 2 NI contributions 13 weeks before baby is born in order to qualify - so that might be something to look in to so you can claim MA x

Firstly you need to set up a personal tax account with HMRC and see where you're up to with national insurance contributions. It's dead easy, just google it and follow the instructions.

Either way OP still should be registered with HMRC, I would give them a call and they are usually pretty helpful over the phone in my experience.