Cat

Well I had to stop working in December because of hip pain. I submitted a claim for Maternety Allowance on January to the JSA, and got a letter comfirming my appliaction on the 23rd of Jan, and was told that they have a back log and its taking 6 weeks to process claims. which was crap enough, but after this 6 weeks had lapsed and I had heard nothing, Ichased them up, and they had sent a letter to one of my former employers asking for confirmation of my earnings. I called my prev employer who said they had had the letter and returned it the same day. this was March the 17th! And I still havent heard anything, Ihave chased every week, and they just keep saying that my file has not been updated and that an email has been sent asked them to chase it up, but they have a back log of about 200 emails, so dont expect to hear anything soon. Thing is what if they havent even recieved the letter? ots got lost or something, I just feel like I have been forgotten about and they are doing nothing to further my claim. In the mean time I have no income whatsoever and Im living off savings, which are depleting and getting myself quite worked up about the whole thing, which isnt exactly good for me or baby.

I dont know what else I can do, does anyone have any ideas who I can contact or who can help to chase whats the hell is going on, cause everytime I phone the claims number they just say nothing else has been logged on the system and that they will send an email!

Imi

When PG with maddie i had the same problem, i was off sick ... they kept "losing" my sick notes ....

In the end both myself and the local job centre got so sick of it we photocopied and fax and posted every sick note!

All i can say is go see someone in your local job centre and explain the situation ... hopefully they might be able to help like they did with me.

Its rather a piss take though!
xxx

vicky

awww hun i can't suggest anything, just keep on at them

Arcanegirl

Theyre good at taking the piss. Took me 6 months to get sorted on income support 3 years ago, me and Rob were surviving on a single persons claim. In the end i got my local mp involed and it was sorted through him

Cat

Good suggestion Aggy, I have just sent an email to my MP!

weestar21

i had this problem both times i was PG only i got nocked back and had to appeal twice before i got what i knew i was entitle too.

good luck hun hope its gets sorted fast but i wouldnt be too surprised if you dont get it till after the baby is born and yo get a big giro cheque, as i got

Cat

How come they knocked you back, if you dont mind me asking. I keep worrying they will do that to me, only Im sure I do qualify, its just one of those things Iworry about if after all this they say I cant have it!

Wobbles

I have no advise

Thats so shit though Cat I hope you get it sorted soon

weestar21

first time with Adele they nocked me back because i was working for mcdonalds and was off on sick for 19 weeks due to very low BP and very bad bleeding, when Adele was born prem i was still employeed with them and i asked about maternity leave and was told i had used my maternity on sick leave wich i was unaware of. I then went to the DSS and tried to claime from them maternity pay who nocked me back because i was 1 day short of working/ being employeed for 28 weeks of pregnancy. I appealed and won took them till adele was 6 months old to get my money though and got a cheque for £1,300.

With Colby i was employeed as a cleaner paid cash in hand same senario really, they sacked me because i wasnt willing to juggle a computer and moove a desk at the same time to clean under the jungle of cables. They said i wasnt doing my job properly and i told em to stick it. because of my pregnancy with adele. I claimed DSS and they had to contact all my employers as i worked in total 3 jobs in the 29 weeks. When it came to getting the correct info from Clyde property they denied i worked their because it was cash in hand and i never thought it wasnt through the books wich meant the werent paying NI for me. I got nocked back because they denied it, so in return i contacted Clyde property and told them if they didnt tell the DSS i worked for them and how much i earned in that period i would come down and take all their computers as i knew the alarm code and still had a key in teh end they gave in and contacted the DSS and i got second time round £1,600 payed over 4 months with giro cheques. Clyde property were then done by inland revenue for not paying NI and they went through a big thing to do with how they worked as far as im aware 2 managers lost their jobs for paying people cash in hand and claiming stuff they shouldnt have been if that makes sence.

as long as you have worked for the first 25 weeks of pregnancy and worked over 16 hours and earned at least £120 a week you should get maternity allowance but not sure how much youw ill be entitle to, i got high rate as our income was very low in that period

good luck
xx

Cat

That shocking Weestar!

I think its a different system though, cause mine is a maternety allowance for people who work less than 16 hours a week or are self employed or not worked at their employer long enough. You need to have worked for something like 26 weeks within the last 56 weeks or something and earned at least £30 a week. At least they do back date it though, but its not the point, I mean how do they expect people to pay bills etc. Its only because I have savings to live on, otherwise I would not be able to make my loan payments etc, and would end up with a bad credit rating etc, when its not my fault, Im just discusted at the whole system I think its shocking and remind me once again why I hate this country!! Rahhhhhh!!!