Rates of Maternity Allowance? Help needed please!

shellsuit

Can anyone please help me with this, this is taken from the DWP site :

Rates of MA

If you satisfy the employment rule and the earnings rule, you will be entitled to MA for a maximum of 39 weeks.

The amount you get depends on your gross average weekly earnings. You will get the standard rate of MA, which is £117.18 a week (from 7 April 2008) or 90 per cent of your gross average weekly earnings, if this calculation results in a figure which is less than the standard rate of MA.

If you have paid Class 2 NI contributions at the end of each week in your 13 week earnings period, you will be treated as having enough earnings to receive standard rate MA.

If you hold a small earnings exception for at least 13 weeks in your test period and you have no other earnings you will be treated as having earnings of £30 a week (equal to the MAT) and receive a weekly rate of MA of £27.00 (90 per cent of the MAT).

What does the bottom paragraph mean please?

Does it mean, that if I haven't paid NI contributions in all 13 weeks, that I'll only receive £27 MA?!

I only work 16 hours @ minimum wage, so pick up £91.68 a week. I don't pay tax or NI on that.

helen81_2

Sorry Shellsuit, I can't help but Id like to know too as I also work 16hours a week (occasionally less,but no less than 12) on min wage (it stinks doesn't it!!)
Helen x

sarahsarah

A small earnings exemption certificate is for people who are self employed I think...

So you should get 90% of your £91.68 which is £82.51..

shellsuit

Thanks guys, actually I'll ring the Jobcentre now and see if they can advise me.

Helen I'll update the thread with whatever info I get xx

honeypop

shellsuit wrote: »

The amount you get depends on your gross average weekly earnings. You will get the standard rate of MA, which is £117.18 a week (from 7 April 2008) or 90 per cent of your gross average weekly earnings, if this calculation results in a figure which is less than the standard rate of MA.

I only work 16 hours @ minimum wage, so pick up £91.68 a week. I don't pay tax or NI on that.

You would receive £82.51 per week then. As you earm less than £117.18 per week then they work it out on 90% of what you do earn which equals this amount.

The bottom paragraph does refer to self-employed people only so if you are employed it will be worked out as above.

shellsuit

Just rang Job Centre and they gave me this number which is only for help and advice on Maternity Allowance - 0845 608 8780

The section I'd put in bold is ONLY for self employed people, which is confusing because on the site, under the part where I'd copied is a seperate section for self employed women, so God knows why they couldn't put that part there.

Thank God I can calm down now, I panicked at the thought of surviving on £27 a week!

angelfairy

It's all a nightmare to try and work out isn't Shellsuit.

Glad you got your answer from the Jobcente.

shellsuit

angelfairy wrote: »

It's all a nightmare to try and work out isn't Shellsuit.

Glad you got your answer from the Jobcente.

Thanks hun x

Savvy_Sue

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