Maternity Allowance: Am I entitled?????

tbarbi

Hi

Can anyone help me out as it seems Im running endless circles and no one seems to be able to help me

I will describe my situation:

I was emloyed from 06/2009 onwards with my former company
I got pregnant and I started my Maternity Leave on the 24/03/2010.
I received payments for 9 months for my Maternity Leave and after, by
the date of 22/02/2011 I was made redundant. I received my P45. I got
some unused annual leave and also my company payed for 1 month notice
and I received my last payment in 03/2011 which payment was not
included in my P45 but I received a payslip about it. And I havent received a P60 or any other document..
I am pregnant again,my due date is 12/01/2012 and Im in receipt of JSA
from 05/2011
My question is: will I be eligible for Maternity allowance for my new baby?
If not could you please confirm how many weeks I should further work
in order to be eligible? Or is there any other ways to make sure I
will be eligible for it after my second baby? I have head that we can pay towards our own NI in order to get it.. not sure its true though.
And my biggest question is my last payment which I received from my former comapy, can it be counted as earning when they will calculate how much MA am I entitled to?
As the rule says as long as I fulfill the first rule

(To qualify for MA, she must have been employed and/or self-employed in at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks period. These 26 weeks do not have to be in a row and any part weeks worked will count as a whole week.)

I could choose which 13 weeks to count!??
As I was made redundant on the 22/02/2011 and I received the last payment in March of 2011.

And one more thing. I am in receipt of JSA does it count as earnings? Because it is possible ( on paper not in the realy life) that with a big bump someone will employ me for a few weeks ?!?!?!


I have tried Jobcentre and DWP helpline as well, but I was advised to apply and they will tell me wheter Im eligible or not, but I would like to get it, I dont want to apply when I have a doubt about it....

Thanks very much in advance for your help

Sam____2

so will you have worked 26 weeks in your qualifying period? that's what it boils down to

tbarbi

Im not sure how do they count, if not, than I could work for the missing weeks or be self employed or something.... Im just not sure about the rules

They describe an ideal situation and if you have some specifications like I have, than there is no one who could tell me whatsould do..
I still have time until my due date so if neededI could work, but someone tell me do I have to or what would be the best solution to sort it out

Sam____2

you will need to have worked for 26 weeks in the period from 07/10/2010 to 05/01/2012

tbarbi

Than I have 21 weeks so far. I need to cover the remaining 5 weeks.
ok thanks.
And what do you think about my last payment? as it was issued after the date I was made redunant. Can it be still counted as earning? as it is from the same company I used to work for?
And the JSA? it does not count does it??

Sam____2

tbarbi wrote: »

Than I have 21 weeks so far. I need to cover the remaining 5 weeks.
ok thanks.
And what do you think about my last payment? as it was issued after the date I was made redunant. Can it be still counted as earning? as it is from the same company I used to work for?
And the JSA? it does not count does it??

I'm pretty sure you need to use your actual last working day and not when you received payment, JSA will not count as your not working when claiming this.
It's a bit of a palava but you could register as self employed as say a cleaner, you need to be earning an average of £30 per week to qualify and pay your class 2 conts

tbarbi

thanks. I will try to sort it out
Im glad I ve found this forum as I was ot able to get any "proper" advice NOWHERE
I would be helpful if there was a calulator where you sould just put your dates and would advice whether you are entitled or not....Would have saved me from a lot of headache.
Thanks again

Sam____2

tbarbi wrote: »

thanks. I will try to sort it out
Im glad I ve found this forum as I was ot able to get any "proper" advice NOWHERE
I would be helpful if there was a calulator where you sould just put your dates and would advice whether you are entitled or not....Would have saved me from a lot of headache.
Thanks again

page 17

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/claimforms/ma1_print.pdf

sunnyone

Im assuming your on contributions based JSA?

Are you married/living with partner?

It is possible to claim ESA late in pregnancy if you have no income but I dont know if this is relevant to your circumstances.#

congratulations on your pregnancy.

tbarbi

Yes, contribution based JSA
I am married and my husband is working, earning around 18K a year.
I was told that I can get JSA until Im 29 weeks pregnant, and after I will get something else.. is it the ESA?
Will I still get it if my husband is working? I dont really know anything about ESA, how much is that and for how long can I get it?

sunnyone

tbarbi wrote: »

Yes, contribution based JSA
I am married and my husband is working, earning around 18K a year.
I was told that I can get JSA until Im 29 weeks pregnant, and after I will get something else.. is it the ESA?
Will I still get it if my husband is working? I dont really know anything about ESA, how much is that and for how long can I get it?

I only know what I have read on here about maternity and ESA so I cant answer about contributions based ESA and pregnancy, if you can claim it it is @£90 pw as you are automatically seen as having a LCW (limited caperbility to work) be being so far along pregnant.