Just wondering if anyone on here has any experience with MA claims for self employed?
I started up in business last September & have been pretty quite (was expected as I know it takes time!), so I didn't think I would be eligible to any Mat allowance, however, my midwife suggested looking into it as you don't need to earn much, to get something.
I have read DWP site & my understanding is that you have to be self employed for 26 weeks in 66 weeks up to due date (9 Aug), which I have been, it says it doesn't matter how much you earn. It doesn't really say whether it has to be paid work ie for a client or unpaid work towards business ie marketing etc
MA threshold is £30 per week, averaged over 13 weeks, which do not need to be consecutive & can pick & choose the weeks which you have earned the most.
My question is, I don't have regular jobs ie which pay monthly, but I've been doing a few tax returns, some will only take a day, some a couple of weeks, but I charge per job, not per hour, so do I class my income in week of invoiced?
Also, I do my other half's business bookkeeping/tax return for his business. His bookkeeping is quarterly invoiced & a separate one for the return. Are there any rules about doing work for partners?
I presume I will have to take off any expenses from the earnings ie 1/52th of insurance/licence fee/software fees?
I have also read somewhere that if you pay your NI class 2 in full you are deemed to have earned the full amount (even if you haven't actually) & are eligible for the full MA?
Just in case anyone comes across this looking for an answer, I have spoken to the MA helpline & they have confirmed if you have paid full NI Class 2 for 13 weeks you are entitled to full MA (currently about £138 per week).
There is no requirement to work out average week earning unless you have a small earnings exemption certificate, which means you don't pay class 2 NI
