Problem with Maternity Allowance - Advice needed please

samantha2305

Hi everyone

I am due to give birth to my first child on 2nd July this year. I am not entitled to maternity pay through my current employer (NHS) as I've not been there long enough.

There has been complications with sorting my maternity allowance via the job center as all my forms were lost in the post when en route to them and I've only just been made aware of this.

I now will have to go through the process of gathering the info and forms again and re-submitting them. This could take me a further 2 weeks as my previous employer (before NHS) has been a nightmare in supplying me my wage slips and filling out forms.

Can anyone please advise me on the following questions please.

Q: When my forms eventually do reach the Job Center how long does it take them to process the maternity allowance and start paying it?

Q: Baring in mind I finished work yesterday is it possible to back date any maternity pay to this date? Only if it takes me a couple of weeks to sort all this mess out I'm going to be out of pocket.

Q: Is there any emergency government grants or support for this kind of situation? Only I'm going to literally have to live off no money coming in until this is sorted.... obviously this is a very serious problem for me.

Can you advise on what you'd do in my situation please or where i can go to get help. Thank you in advance for your support.

Samantha.

AnxiousMum

Samantha, you might want to post this in the benefits section, as this section applies to child support issues - ie where parents are no longer together and one is claiming child support/maintenance to support the child financially.

karenx

Should only take a few weeks to sort out. The will only pay from the date you put on the form that you start your maternity leave.
Are you awaiting pay from your employer? To tide you over till its sorted

billius_2

I handed in my paperwork to the job centre, but it took a week to get to the relivant office, then I was told it would take 4weeks before I would find out if I was entitled to MA!! As it happened, I got paid within the 4weeks!!! (I have heard stories it can take 6weeks) You can get it backdated to when your Maternity Leave started... (I got about 6 weeks backdated, and they pay it either fortnightly or monthly in arrears). In the mean time, you may be able to apply for a crisis loan!! Ask in the job centre about this, and they should give you a number!! Be warned, you will have to pay the money back out of your benefits/wages,
Good luck with it all, and with the safe delivery of your baby xxx