Maternity Benefits Calculators - Help!

[sunshinecitrus1]

Hi Ladies!

I have been looking into the Benefits Calculators on the GOV. website to look into our eligibility for any extra help we can get when baby arrives. Me and my partner both work full time and have steady incomes however, this will obviously change for me when I go on to Maternity Leave. My partners income will remain the same.

I am looking at the "entitledto" calculator - I am half way through inputting our details and have got to my Net Earnings. Do I put down what I currently earn or shall I base the details on what I will get when I go on to Maternity Leave as this will be a lot less?

Not sure when the right time is to submit the applications for these things either, this is all new to me! So any advice would be really appreciated. Xx

Put in your expected earnings for the current financial year 6th Apr 21 - 5th Apr 22. Child benefit can be claimed after you register babys birth, others probably when your income drops below the threshold for an eligible claim. Most payments are back dated for a set period, you'd have to check the gov.uk site for details on that.

Thanks @Chelyanne for your reply!
The calculator is just asking for my monthly income at the moment so I guess until my income drops and I am on maternity leave, I guess I can’t really put a claim in until I am eligible? I thought usually you could submit the claims so many weeks before your baby’s due date but I may be wrong as like I say, it’s all new to me! Trying to get my head around it

It’ll be your salary not maternity pay.
We didn’t get anything and still nothing on part time.

Also to add we tried when I was on maternity, went through everything at the job centre and still nothing!

What is your maternity pay package from your employer? Is it just SMP or do the top it up? That would be your first port of call for getting an idea what you will get on mat leave.

Hi @MrsL2016 - My maternity pay package from my employer is just the basic SMP, no top ups. So I know the amount I will be getting weekly etc. But I wanted to know whether we would be entitled to any more help - Child benefit, universal credit etc. I was using the calculators to try and get a rough idea but not sure if I should be inputting my current income details or what I will be getting on maternity leave. X

Use your maternity pay, you can't apply for uc in advance unfortunately so you will have to wait to claim

You will get child benefit as long at neither of you earn over £50k I believe. You can still claim it over than for national insurance purposes but you would be taxed accordingly. What others said is correct regarding UC, you can only apply when you are in the financial situation you want to be assessed for. Your partner's income will also be considered, therefore if he earns well you likely won't get much if anything. For the purposes of the calculator put your weekly/monthly income when on maternity. I don't want to make assumptions about your finances as a couple but do you share/pool finances or do you keep them separate and pay equal amounts? Have you discussed if that will change when the baby comes? You shouldn't be expected to make the same contributions whilst on less pay but that's just my opinion and all families are different.

Thanks ladies this is really helpful!

@MrsL2016 Thanks for that advice. I think as you say, for the purpose of the calculator I will base it on the maternity income just to give us an idea on our entitlement. Myself and OH share finances and when baby is born, he will be paying the main portion of the bills. All of your advice has really helped me so thanks a lot