Refused Maternity allowance! Please help!! :-(

Sophia1986

I am 27, due to have my first child in 6 weeks and am still working full time as a self employed taxi driver. I have been registered as self employed since the beginning of March and so have not yet completed my tax returns or paid my class 2 national insurance contributions as I was under the impression that these should be paid every 6 months. I am getting to a point now where I am struggling to work full time and so applied for my maternity allowance. I have received a letter today informing me that I am not entitled to it because I have not paid national insurance contributions. Now I'm in a real panic that I'm not going to be able to stop working and I'm not going to get any help. I can't speak to anyone at the job centre or homecoming until Monday as they're closed, and in the meantime I'm so anxious! I assumed I would be able to pay my national insurance in a lump sum next month and therefore qualify, now I'm worrying that that won't make any difference to the decision, and even if it does, it could take weeks to sort out! I can't stop working without any money coming in. Does anyone have any idea what the likelihood of getting the decision reversed is? And if it's unlikely, what other help can I get and from where? I'm terrified that I'm going to have this baby and have no way to support him, despite having worked and paid my way for my entire adult life! Any reassurance or advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Sophia1986

Hmrc - not homecoming! Lol.

karent_2

I don't know anything about maternity allowance, and can't help with what happens before baby is born, but once baby comes you will be entitled to a variety of benefits to support you and your baby. Most likely child benefit, income support and child tax credits. Housing benefit and council tax benefits may also be available if you rent your home and pay council tax. Is babies father around, can he not help?

Try calling citizens advice on Monday. I'm sure someone on here will have more specific advice regarding the Maternity allowance, and what you may be able to claim until baby comes.

Hope you get sorted soon.Good luck.

DaisyFlower

What were you dong prior to March?

Sophia1986

I was made redundant in 2012 and after a few months of looking for a job unsuccessfully decided to get my taxi license and go self employed as I couldn't bear being on benefits and not working. Prior to that I worked in the catering industry without any gaps from the age of 16.

clairec79

I'm sure someone on here said they paid 6 months in a lump sum then applied for mat allowance and got it a few days later

pmlindyloo

Stop panicking (not good for the baby!). Ring and see if you can pay your NI contributions now.

Even if you are not entitled to MA there are other benefits. Have a read of this:

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/benefits_e/benefits_children_and_young_people_ew/benefits_for_families_and_children.htm

sulkisu

karent wrote: »

I don't know anything about maternity allowance, and can't help with what happens before baby is born, but once baby comes you will be entitled to a variety of benefits to support you and your baby. Most likely child benefit, income support and child tax credits. Housing benefit and council tax benefits may also be available if you rent your home and pay council tax. Is babies father around, can he not help?

Try calling citizens advice on Monday. I'm sure someone on here will have more specific advice regarding the Maternity allowance, and what you may be able to claim until baby comes.

Hope you get sorted soon.Good luck.

Not necessarily. OP hasn't said that she is single, so all will depend on total household income - partners salary etc, if she has one. It will also depend on what she plans to do once the baby is born, e.g. return to work or not.

xylophone

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/working/intro/class2.htm might be worth a look.

karent_2

sulkisu wrote: »

Not necessarily. OP hasn't said that she is single, so all will depend on total household income - partners salary etc, if she has one. It will also depend on what she plans to do once the baby is born, e.g. return to work or not.

True. But the post implied she had no other means of supporting her baby, which suggests she has no other source of income. Hopefully OP will come back and clarify.

skintandscared_2

Can't you just pay the NI contribution now, then ask for a reassessment? Why are they going to award you something based on what you INTEND to pay in the future? There's no guarantee you will actually pay it!