Maternity Leave self employed help

[madam minx]

Hi hoping someone can help me, I've searched the internet but can't seem to get a clear answer.
I'm self employed I started at the end of January, after leaving full time employment where I had been working for 2 1/2 years. And found out I'm pregnant I fell while I was still employed, I'm now 15 weeks. I've read somewhere that as long as you have been in empolyment 26 weeks before the 15th week of your pregnacy you will be entillted to mat pay. Now I understand this would be from the government, but my question is, do I need to be paying NI as I have not so far, also how do I go about claiming? If anyone has any info or can point me in the right direction I would really appreciate it.

 

[Martin Duffy]

'Maturity' leave? I like the sound of that, how old do you have to be to qualify!!

 

[madam minx]

Oh dear, I meant maternity leave lol 😳

 

[emsyj]

If you look here https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/how-to-claim you should be able to download the form, or I think you can pick up paper copies in the Job Centre (not sure about that though, I got mine online). It's a complicated form and you need your pay slips to prove that you have enough qualifying employment, but you will be able to claim if you were in employment until you fell pregnant. I had to claim last year and they paid me fortnightly I think. You will also need proof that you're pregnant, I think I had to submit my MAT1B form that you get from the midwife around 20 weeks.

 

[emsyj]

PS You would be able to claim based on your previous employment status, I don't think it matters whether or not you are working now, either employed or self-employed - BUT if you are self employed you must notify HMRC and start paying the basic NICs or you may get into trouble. It's only a few pounds a week. Lots of government systems 'talk' to each other so if you say on the DWP form that you're self-employed, it might get checked whether you're registered for self-assessment with HMRC.

 

[izzidoll]

Much as I love the idea of Maturity Leave, I have edited your title to Maternity :wink2:

 

[loobylou03]

Apparently if your self employed your entitled to something called maternity allowance a big £136 a week

 

[hazeleyes]

If your self employed you get the lower rate of maternity allowance which isn't £136 a week! It also depends whether you've paid national insurance contributions of not.

The OP will qualify, as she has worked... She has to prove her average earnings in the qualifying period which is any given 13 weeks in the last 66 weeks. So just give them 3 mths payslips. Then they give you £136 (as a maximum but if your average earnings were lower than that then you get less). You also have to give them MAT B1 and you can't claim till your 29 weeks.

The person who said make sure your registered as self employed with HMRC is correct, they will certainly tell each other and check you out. They will also check your NI contributions!!

 

[MrsHBeauty]

Hazel eyes has it right. I've been looking into it myself as I am self employed and pregnant and trying to figure out maternity pay if any :/


Jemima

 

[madam minx]

Thank you everyone for all the help and advice, I've registered as self employed I did that as soon as I left employment however I'm not paying NI. Do I need to contact them separately I don't want to get into trouble, I also have not been sent any request to fill out a end of year tax form. I thought I would as I've been self employed since January? Should I just contact inland revenue?

 

[MrsHBeauty]

Your tax return will come soon, its only just into the new tax year and you'll have til Jan 31st to file your return.

Ring them about NI, but you can apply for an exemption if your expecting a low income for the year.


Jemima

 

[hazeleyes]

Your tax return will come soon, its only just into the new tax year and you'll have til Jan 31st to file your return.

Ring them about NI, but you can apply for an exemption if your expecting a low income for the year.


Jemima

Yes you need to get a certificate of small earnings if you expect to earn under 5000 or so a year. Or you can pay voluntary contributions of 2.70 a week (just to keep your pension).

HTH

Xx

 

[DONSLJ]

The exemption certificate for small earnings would still give you entitlement to maternity allowance as far as I'm aware, but if you don't meet the criteria for that you certainly should start NI payments now. And congrats ☺️

 

[hazeleyes]

The exemption certificate for small earnings would still give you entitlement to maternity allowance as far as I'm aware, but if you don't meet the criteria for that you certainly should start NI payments now. And congrats ☺️

I was told recently it can affect it, you automatically get the lower rate I think.

 

[facelashbrow]

You defo qualify based on what you've worked, even if you had been unemployed since Jan. It doesnt matter that you havent paid NI yet (altho you need to sort that out which you can do online the hmrc website).

Also, print off the maternity allowance pack asap and get it sorted halfway through your pregnancy as I left it til the end and its been a pain in the backside.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[madam minx]

Thank you everyone, got a little list of things to do tomorrow now