in January 2025 Babies 🇬🇧

Maternity allowance

Looking for some help because I'm really confused. I'm not eligible for statutory maternity pay because I haven't been at my current place long enough. I assumed because I was employed my maternity allowance pay would be sorted out through my employer but I've seen people talking about submitting forms? Do I need to do that or should my employer sort it out? Starting to panic now because I'm due to start maternity 1/12/24. I notified my employer in writing as soon as I got my MATB1 on 30th September but didn't have definite confirmation in writing or any kind of official statement to the rejection of statutory maternity pay that the GOV site mentions. I'm really confused and worried I won't get paid in time for Christmas now. Any help or advice would be appreciated x

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You have to fill out maternity allowance form yourself on gov.uk website employers only sort out smp

@Suzanne it mentions that as well as my matb1 i need proof that my employer won't pay me smp and I should get that within 28 days of my official notice of maternity leave, do you know what I should do if I haven't received that? My work place has been less than supportive so I don't know how to go about it

I think its a smp1 form they need to give to you to go along with your maternity allowance form

Hey I had to apply for MA. I’m now on MAT leave. Fill out the MA form, you’ll need to send in proof of highest paying weeks/months, MAT1B copy, and a few other bits they may ask for on the form. 1 think you need to get your employer to do asap is fill out and sign the SMP1 form to prove why they cannot pay you SMP. Then just post it out to the address on the form. You can send this off from 26 weeks even if you haven’t started maternity leave. You can request them to fill this form in if you know the date you’re going on leave. If they are difficult tell them it’s their legal duty as an employer to provide this form. Any other issues got to ACAS Or threaten it to them 😉 hope this helps x

@Leah thank you!!! This definitely helps, first time having to do all of this and the gov website is so confusing🤣

Feel free to message me I’ve sent all my stuff off including my maternity grant papers xx