Maternity Pay entitlement?

callansdad

Hi, just found out a couple of weeks ago that i am pregnant again. I am 11wks now and have been trying since i was made redundant last year to get a pt job. I think that if i get a job by the time i am 14wks then i will be entitled to MA but what if i don't get a job by then? I am registered as self-employed and although i haven't done any work for a couple of months i am still paying NI. What would my posititon be regarding maternity pay?

So say if i get a job at 17wks then would it just be seen as changing employers if i then tell them i am not self-employed as of the day i start a new job? I am also registered with TNS for mystery shopping although jobs don't turn up very often in my area, would this make a difference as technically i am employed by them as they sort out my tax and NI.

soooooo confused!

A friend also suggested to me to take on work with a nursing agency but would i be entitled to any maternity pay as she said you are classed as self-employed even though the company sorts out tax and NI.

jaws77

I believe unfortunatley you will not qualify for SMP as you need to have completed 26 weeks employment for the employer before the 15th week before the baby is due.

http://www.worksmart.org.uk/rights/viewquestion.php?eny=487

Genie75

I think you would be entitled to Maternity Allowance. I'm claiming at the moment and as I was registered as self-employed and paying Class II NI contributions I was entitled to the full amount. I didn't need to provide any information about any work I've done recently. HTH

zoezoe_3

genie is right !!! you will get £108 maternity allowance as you are self employed and paying ni.

Google for maternity allowance...

bbford

jaws77 wrote:

I believe unfortunatley you will not qualify for SMP as you need to have completed 26 weeks employment for the employer before the 15th week before the baby is due.

http://www.worksmart.org.uk/rights/viewquestion.php?eny=487

jaws77 is right, you'll need to claim mat benefit for DSS.
I'm a nurse and agency work will not qualify

callansdad

Thanks, i had read up on claiming MA when self-employed but it said you didn't need to prove your earnings i thought it was too good to be true, little bit scared in case they catch up with me if i haven't been earning over £30 p/wk. Applied for another job today but interviews won't be starting until 25th September.

zoezoe_3

callansdad wrote:

Thanks, i had read up on claiming MA when self-employed but it said you didn't need to prove your earnings i thought it was too good to be true, little bit scared in case they catch up with me if i haven't been earning over £30 p/wk. Applied for another job today but interviews won't be starting until 25th September.

you dont need to be earning over £30 a week for MA. As long as you are paying NI then you can get it. You would not be doing any wrong by claiming. It is impossible for the IR to ever work out who is earning what in what period - it would be too costly for them to administer so for the self employed the rule is simple - if you pay NI then you qualify for the full amount.

Savvy_Sue

the other thing is that even if you haven't been paying NI because you've asked for an exemption certificate because your earnings are too low, then you can pay the relevant period voluntarily and still get MA.

At least you used to be able to ... and it was well worth doing!