£500 Maternity Grant - MatB1 useless now?

Pleaseadvise

As far as I remember, when I was pregnant with my twins I needed to get a MatB1 certificate from my midwife, wait until I was 29 weeks, then send the certificate with the claim form, and £600 turned up not long after (£300 each baby then). This was 8 years ago.

So I asked my midwife for a MatB1 form when I saw her a few weeks ago. Today I am 29 weeks pregnant, I downloaded the Maternity Grant form from the website and it has a form to be filled in 'by the health professional only' called SSMG. So would it be pointless to send it in without this form and with my MatB1? I don't see my midwife again for 3 weeks.

Why isn't there anything on the MATB1 form to say it's no use for claiming the Maternity Grant any more? It says
'Use this certificate if you want to claim
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
or Maternity Benefits'

so I assumed it was still relevant. If I send it in is there a chance they'll process the claim? Or will that make me unable to apply again, even if I wait for my appointment and get the midwife to fill in this SSMG certificate?

karenx

You dont need your MATB1 for claiming the sure start grant. Just get your midwife to fill out the forms and post it off. There is certain criteria you need to be able to qualify for it though. Its went up to £500 now also.
You just use your MATB1 form for your employer

Have u also claimed for HIP grant too?

Pleaseadvise

Thanks, Karenx. I'll just wait and get the right form signed. My mistake to assume I knew how a benefit worked - of course they would go and change it! Yes, I got the HIP form from my midwife a couple of weeks ago and have sent it off.

karenx

Good stuff, there is a back log for paying HIP just now. Took about 8 weeks for mine to get processed! So dont worry if it takes a little while to come through!
Sure start is alot quicker though, mine was done in about 9 days! If they write to you to tell you you dont qualify, claim again after your baby is born! As you will be recieving more tax credits due to having the baby element! So hopefully you will get it then!! Whens your baby due? Mine is due today although he is showing no signs of wanting to come out hehe! x

amberspy

hi guys my friends pregnant with her first baby ,she works full time does she get sure start grant ?
im not sure as its been years since i had my kids :rolleyes:

NASA_2

MATB1's can be sent with a SSMG as far as I am aware. That was as recently as September last year and I havent seen anything to suggest the practive of accepting them has changed.

Maybe its a local decision rather than a legislated one?

AsknAnswer

No it's not local, it's national. A MAT B1 is no longer required. As long as the person recieves a qualifying benefit and has applied within the prescribed timescale, and the health professional has completed the statement, they qualify. No MAT B1 required.

There is nothing in the regulations or procedural guidance which requires a MAT B1 anymore.

Amberspy - your friend would need to be receiving one of the following benefits:

Income Support
Income Related Jobseekers Allowance
Income Based Employment and Support Allowance
Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than the family element (higher then £548 per year or £1095 per year if she has a baby under one)
Working tax credit with the disability element.

She can apply at any time between 11 weeks before the exepected week of delivery up to three months after the birth, and she must be receiving advice from a health professional on pregnancy or the new baby.

NASA_2

AsknAnswer wrote: »

No it's not local, it's national. A MAT B1 is no longer required. As long as the person recieves a qualifying benefit and has applied within the prescribed timescale, and the health professional has completed the statement, they qualify. No MAT B1 required.

There is nothing in the regulations or procedural guidance which requires a MAT B1 anymore.

Amberspy - your friend would need to be receiving one of the following benefits:

Income Support
Income Related Jobseekers Allowance
Income Based Employment and Support Allowance
Pension Credit
Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than the family element (higher then £548 per year or £1095 per year if she has a baby under one)
Working tax credit with the disability element.

She can apply at any time between 11 weeks before the exepected week of delivery up to three months after the birth, and she must be receiving advice from a health professional on pregnancy or the new baby.

My point wasnt that it was required but that it could be used instead of getting the bit at the back of the form filled in.

It was perfectly acceptable to do either in the district I used to work in.