Maternity Allowance- Is this true???

[ellideb]

Being self employed I have applied for Maternity Allowance to start 6 weeks before my baby is due (4th August).

Now they have just told me that I can only apply for it when I have actually finished work and not before, so that leaves them just the weekend to process the form. I finish work on the 1st of August.

They said they can't take my word for it incase I finish earlier due to tiredness for example. What is it to them if I do? It's not like I'd be claiming anything from them until the 4th of August anyway. I'd be the one losing out on pay.

What has annoyed me is the fact I'm going to be left without pay until they process my application which could take God knows how long. Then I will receive back pay. I was told to send off this application within 3 months of my due date so I would get paid on time.

I don't understand this really. I'm being told I can only send off my application on the day I finish work.
Is this right?

.

No that'd not correct elliedeb, you can claim if you are still working, and you should do so. Have a look here. It gives a downloadable claim pack and specifically says you should claim as soon as possible even if you don't have all the information you need.

Thats what I thought too but the woman i spoke to, twicw said i couldn't until i actually finished work.

I don;t think this is true either.
I distinctly remember thinking about applying before I finished work. But, never became organised enough to do so.

Absolutely not true. Was this someone at the Jobcentre? Try speaking to a different person.

If you think about it logically, if no one could apply until they finished work, the system would be chaos. That's why they encourage you to apply asap as per that link.

I applied at 26 weeks and planned to work until 36 weeks. I got made redundant and rang to ask to change the start date of payments and was told that as I was still working they couldn't process it but someone would ring me and sort out when I was finishing work and when they would start payments. I would call them again and speak to someone else. IME people at the jobcentre and benefits place don't know what day of the week it is most of the time never mind how to do their jobs.

My thoughts exactly flowerybeanbag, it was someone from the maternity allowance number on the form and twice they've fobbed me off, it gets me so cross because i am sure i am in the right and i can just see me not getting paid at all because some jobsworth thinks she knows better.

I got MA last year & submitted my form well in advance.

They processed my claim & just sent me a form to sign & send back when I'd actually finished work to confirm my m/l start date. I wouldn't have got paid until they got this form back, but the claim was all processed & ready to go, so no hold up on payment.

They are talking rubbish

Thanks betsy, my dp is gonna sort them out today, he's better at things like this than I am!