Is anyone else struggling to get their Maternity Exemption Certificate?

[Duv]

I'm nearly halfway through my pregnancy and at my last appointment (16weeks) I asked if I could have my Maternity Exemption Certificate and about my MAT1B certificate (which my employer requires).

She told me I would get the MAT1B at my 20 week scan, but that she could sign my Maternity Exemption Certificate if I bought in and printed it. I was a bit disappointed by this because obviously I didn't have it there and then, no one had told me I needed to do this, and was now looking at min 4 week wait till my next appointment. As I'm now coming up to my 20 week scan appointment I thought I'd better check and see if I can print this form and from everything I can find patients can't print either of these forms - they must be registered by the midwife (in fact the maternity exemption is supposed to be on a digital portal that only healthcare staff can register for).

I don't want to get the run around again at my next appointment as I'm running out of time to get these certificates (I was really hoping to use the maternity exemption to claim free dental care) and I need the MATB1 for my employment. Has anyone else had this sort of issue? I don't know what to do if they say they can't just complete the form again or say I need to print something I can't print.

It's the FW8 form for maternity exemption and from what I've read they're supposed to complete the form on your behalf or they can complete it online if they've registered to do so.

You cant get the MatB1 before 20 weeks but your employer doesn't actually need it as early as that.

Matb1 is given at or after 20w appointment.

You do need it for your employer but you have plenty of time to give it to them. For SMP (for example) you need to give it to your employer 21 days before your SMP start date.
For occupational maternity pay, you need to read your company policy for when they need the MATB1, my maternity policy says they'd like to be told of pregnancy by 25w but again they don't need the MATB1 until later.

Don't panic.

Ask your midwife for it.

https://www.gov.uk/employers-maternity-pay-leave/eligibility-and-proof-of-pregnancy

There isn't anything you need to do for your exemption certificate, your midwife needs to go it so send her a text and chase it. It won't be backdated more than a month so if you need prescriptions soon or the dentist you will have to pay.
Most trusts issue a digital certificate now so you should have it they day the midwife does it.

Oh hang on apologies you were asking about the maternity exemption certificate mainly I think!

I asked twice for mine. My midwife forgot, I called the midwife reception and they asked another midwife to sign and email confirmation of it to me there and then. As long as pregnancy has been confirmed as viable by 12w scan then they can do it. You don't need a physical document to take with you for dental treatment - it is recorded on an online portal the dentist can access, they just need a code/reference number from it.

Call and ask your MW for it.

My first pregnancy the midwife gave me a hard copy of the exemption certificate and for my second pregnancy the midwife did it online and had it emailed to me at my booking in appointment at 8 weeks. I am sorry you are being messed about. They should provide it for you ASAP. I can't imagine it is something you can do on your own and take in.
I emailed for my matB1 form when I was 20 weeks and they sent me a copy of it electronically (on second baby so have barely any appointments with the midwife).
When I had my dental appointment lately they didn't actually want to see my exemption certificate - just took my word for it. Good luck xx

My midwife applied for my medical exemption certificate for me right after my booking in appointment at 10 weeks and it arrived in the post 2 days later

I got my MATB1 form at my 24 weeks midwife appointment as they don’t give it until everything is confirmed as viable at the 20 weeks scan. They don’t give them out at our hospital it needs to come from our midwife. You can also request it from your GP but think you have to pay for them to sign it

I got my exemption certificate at 16 week appointment and matb1 form at 20 weeks however one thing I will say is that it was basically impossible to get an nhs dental appointment and so the exemption certificate was pretty much useless in the end 😔 (not a maternity issue, down to lack of NHS dentists currently.

Badger your midwife for it - mine gave it to me at the booking appointment!

However, for prescriptions or dentist I've never actually been asked for it, even when not looking visibly pregnant.

I got my exemption form at GP surgery reception, filled it and then received certificate via post.

Your midwife should register you for it - it's not down to you to print anything out! But although, as pp have mentioned, you can get prescriptions free without having to show the certificate, DO NOT claim a free prescription if you don't yet have the certificate in your possession. There have been some horrendous well-publicized cases lately of NHS Business Services Authority pursuing and fining women who were entitled to the certificate but hadn't actually been issued with it. It's a bizarre and horrible way for NHSBSA to be carrying on. ardian.com/society/2023/apr/22/woman-who-miscarried-fined-by-nhs-for-claiming-free-prescription-while-pregnant

@MasterCherry that's why when I didn't get certificate form filled at booking appointment I went to GP surgery asking for it, as I was due to start aspirin at 12 weeks and was already issued prescription. I bought it initially in supermarket(cheap stuff anyway)and only collected medications when certificate arrived even though pharmacy said it should probably be ok for me to take it earlier. Wouldn't take risk of fine with cheap meds that you can get over the counter.

@MasterCherry I was just going to find that article and absolutely second your advice!!

I was told by my midwife that I could get the Mat Exemption via my GP. Asked the GP surgery and after initially telling me that was wrong they
eventually found the form for me to fill in and return to them - was told to expect a delay of up to 8 weeks. I’ve also been conflicting info as to whether I will actually receive a copy of the certificate myself, or whether it just goes into some digital system that pharmacists can see?

Quite annoying because I’ve been prescribed cyclizine for my nausea which is issued in 10 days at time batches, so I’ve had about 4 prescriptions now that I’ve had to pay for! Hoping I might be able to claim some back when I get the certificate but who knows.

Midwife filled mine in online for me, submitted it, and emailed the certificate to me at my booking appointment at 8 weeks! Took less than 2 mins!

I left a completed form at my local GP surgery with their receptionist who did they'd pass it onto whoever to process it. A week or so later the certificate arrived in the post. A midwife conducts appointments there every Friday and probably processed it for me in my absence.
Hope you get it sorted soon!