soo ive just had my rish assesment at work for being pregnant and when talking about the MATB1 form my manager said "ye just bring it in when you get it although it doesnt really matter for you anyway as you wont be entitled to maternity pay!!"
Why wont i? i dont understand! she sadi its cos i do under 16 hours a week (i do 14) but im sure i must be entitled to something even if its just a little bit? does any1 know if this is true as now im really starting to panick!! x x

i don't think that's correct. you'll at least get mat allowance. have a look at the direct gov website x

I have no idea but will ask OH later and see if he knows as he works for job centre x Defo check their site or even google it xxxx

I think she might be right, dpends on your hourly wage though, Im gussing you earn about £90 week?

To qualify for SMP you must have been:

• employed by the same employer continuously for at least 26
  weeks into the 15th week before the week your baby is due (the
  qualifying week)
  
• earning on average an amount which at least equals the lower
  earnings limit (£102 a week) which applies on the Saturday at the end of your
  qualifying week
  

So on 14 hours you may not have earned enough - so you won't be able to get Statutory Maternity Pay from your employer


However you can still claim Maternity Allowance, your employers fills in form SMP1 and you will get Maternity Allowance, if you are entitled to it



You can get the form here http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Expectingorbringingupchildren/DG_10018741


Check here as it says who can get Maternity Allowance http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Expectingorbringingupchildren/DG_10018869

Basically need to have been employed for 26 weeks in the last 66 weeks, which I think you will have been, and that you earned £30 a week averaged over any 13 weeks in your test period - which again I think you will have.

Ye I saw that info on the site Lisa but the past 2 months I've earned quite a bit with doing over time over Xmas..but usualy I would earn about £85 a week! So would I still qaulify for maternity allowence or is £85 to much a week? Xx

You qualify for MA i'm sure. It's simple to get and actually can work out better in the long run as you don't have to declare it in your tax credit forms the next year so will effectly get more tax credits cause it looked like as a household you learnt less if you get me. Anyways i think ma is £120 a week unless on average you earn less than that and in that case you get 90% of earnings a week. You will need to provide them with proof of employment and earnings for 13wks (so its best to use the weeks you earnt the most)

Yeah thats total crap hun. I work 15 hours a week and I get maternity pay.

If you dont quality for SMP because of your salary, then you will get MA. But the hours you do have nothing to do with it. x

The average of all your weeks needs to be a certain amount...£102 over weeks
These are the questions on the HMRC checker
Did you start work for an employer on or before 27 November, 2011 and will you, or have you, worked continuously for them up to 13 May, 2012? Yes/No
Did you, or will you, work for that employer for any part of the week beginning 13 May, 2012?Yes/No
Did you earn on average more than £102 a week?Yes/No
To work out your average wage:


Therefore your Christmas earnings don't count, as it will be what you earn in those 8 weeks it says above....as in your regular 14 hours

I'm not even sure you've worked there long enough to get SMP? You need to have worked there for 6 months by the time you are 15 weeks PG .. which works out as the 27th November, were you working there then?

You can check all this yourself here http://www.direct.gov.uk/maternity.dsb - just need to answer 4 questions

^^ok they've changed it since i got my MA as i had to show 13wks and it could be any 13wks from the whole of my pregnancy and 13weeks before. So i'm sorry my advice was a little outdated

Shell the 8 week thing I put above is for the SMP calculation, for MA its:

• you earned £30 a week averaged over any 13 weeks in your test period
  

Oh right i see lol. well lucy im sure you'll get ma and as i said it might actually worked oit better for you

thanks for all your help girls, il ask for that from when im neaer 20 weeks as not much point yet but least i know i should be entitled to something x x

I think it's 26 or 29weeks when you can apply. You can print the form off from job centre website or go into the job centre. Hope it all works out and you get the money