Maternity Allowance Contact Number for Help and Support
Managed by Jobcentre Plus officers, Maternity Allowance is intended to help women who are working in some capacity prior to giving birth but who do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay. Assuming you are eligible, payments can start 11 weeks before your due date and will continue for either 39 weeks or 14 weeks, depending on the nature of the work you have been performing. If you have any questions about this benefit and whether you may be able to make a claim, you can call the Maternity Allowance number – 0800 055 6688 – and talk to one of the experts in this government department.
What Is Maternity Allowance?
Making a Claim
The process of applying for this benefit is actually quite a simple one. In the first instance, you will need to complete the government claim form, MA1, which can be obtained by calling the above-mentioned Maternity Allowance contact number during office hours (Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm) and giving them your home address. Alternatively, you can fill it in online and print a copy. In either case, you will need to send the form to the address that is printed on it, after you have filled in all the relevant details. You can make a claim once you have been pregnant for 26 weeks and, as mentioned earlier, your payments can be started 11 weeks before your baby is due.
Maternity Allowance FAQ
If you want a fast and accurate answer to any questions that you may have, the best thing to do is to call the Maternity Allowance phone number at the top of this page during the opening hours. If your questions concern the amount you may be paid and your eligibility, you will want the latest information and this is the easiest way to make sure that you get it. However, if you are not able to use a phone at this moment in time and you would like to find out more about Maternity Allowance, please feel free to read through the FAQ below. It contains some of the most commonly asked questions, along with answers that are correct at the time of writing.
How Much Money Will I Receive?
The amount to which you are entitled will depend on your personal circumstances, i.e. the type of work you have been performing and the total amount of Class 2 National Insurance contributions that you have made. The full rate is £139.58 a week and the rate for those who have not made enough Class 2 National Insurance contributions is £27 a week. If you do not think you have made enough contributions and have not yet made a claim, it may be possible to rectify the issue by making early payments. To find out whether this is a possibility for you, get in touch with the Maternity Allowance department or Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), which is the government department that deals with N.I. payments.
When Should I Make a Claim?
You are entitled to make a claim as soon as you have been pregnant for 26 weeks and your payments, if eligible, could start 3-4 weeks later (11 weeks before your predicted due date). With this in mind, it is best to make your claim when you reach the 26-week mark. That way, any delays in processing your claim will have a minimal effect on the initial payment date. If you leave it until later, you may have to wait longer for your payments to start.
Could Maternity Allowance Affect Other Benefit Payments?
Because there is a benefit cap in operation in the UK (a total amount of benefits that an individual can receive), it is possible that claiming Maternity Allowance could have an effect on the amount you are entitled to for other benefits. Whether this is the case or not will, of course, depend on your persona circumstances, i.e. the amount you are currently receiving in state benefits.
How Will I Get Paid?
If you are eligible for this benefit and are ready to make a claim, you will probably want to find out how you are going to be paid once your application has been approved. Unless there is a reason why you cannot open a bank, building society or credit union account, you will be paid by electronic transfer straight into one of these types of accounts. The account should, of course, be in your name. If you are not able to receive funds in this manner, you will need to call the Maternity Allowance contact number and ask whether it is possible to arrange an alternative payment method.
For What Time Frame Will I Receive Maternity Allowance?
The length of time for which you will receive this benefit will depend on your eligibility. If you are self-employed or work in some other capacity other than as an employee of a company, and receive payment for your work, you could be eligible for Maternity Allowance for 39 weeks. If, on the other hand, you are neither employed nor self-employed, but you perform unpaid work for the business of a self-employed spouse, you could be entitled to receive benefit payments for 14 weeks.
What Happens if I Lose My Baby?
While your primary concern will obviously be for your loss and how it affects you and your partner emotionally, you may also wish to know whether you are still able to qualify for this benefit if such an event should occur. Women who have a stillborn child any time from the 24th week of pregnancy onwards or who lose their baby after a live birth at any time during their pregnancy may still qualify. If you find yourself in this situation, you can call the Maternity Allowance telephone number for clarification.
How Much Do I Need to Earn in Order to Qualify?
In order to qualify for 39 weeks of Maternity Allowance, you should have been earning at least £30 a week for 13 weeks or more during the 66 weeks that precede your baby’s due date. You can, of course, consult with benefit officials if you are unsure whether you qualify under these terms and they will be able to advise you accordingly.
How Do I Know if I Have Paid Enough Class 2 N.I. Contributions?
If you are not sure whether your N.I. contributions history will qualify you to claim full Maternity Allowance, all you need to do is to make your claim and this factor will automatically be reviewed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). In the event that your contributions fall short of the requirements, the DWP will send a letter to this effect.
What Do I Do if My Circumstances Change?
If there is a change in your personal circumstances that occurs at any time after you have made your claim, you need to inform the authorities because it could affect the amount to which you are entitled. You can do this either by calling the central Maternity Allowance phone number or by visiting your local Jobcentre Plus office. The reason it is important to do this as soon as possible is to avoid the possibility of being overpaid and having to repay part of the money you receive at a later date. If there is a change in your personal circumstances but you are not sure whether it is relevant to your claim, a quick phone call should clarify matters and help to put your mind at rest.
How to Get Help with all Maternity Allowance Enquiries
The lines are open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, so even if you are committed to a full working week, you should still be able to find time to make your call. It is best to make a note of any important information you may need to provide, before you actually make the call. In this way, you will not have to go searching for answers to any questions you may be asked: you will have all the details to hand, which will make the call a more pleasant experience. Whether you call or send an email, it is always a good idea to provide as much information as possible, to ensure that the questions you ask can be answered accurately.