doing some freelance work while on maternity leave - is it ok?

[Ginni]

For the last three months of my maternity leave my pay will halve and i'll struggle on that salary. I was thinking of taking on some freelance work, working from home, it would only be earning a hundred or so pounds a weeks, so not alot in the grand scheme of things but it would really help. The freelance work would not be through the company who employs me full time and who will be paying my maternity leave. I was wondering if anyone knows whether there would be any problem with me doing this?

Thanks in advance

[MrsBadger]

As I understand it to do so would mean you forfeit your maternity pay from the day you start freelancing.
Flowerybeanbag is the expert on this though.

[lisad123]

depends what your normal job is? If you are a freelance worker, you can have a few keep in touch days, not sure of ins and outs.

If not, then your risking it

[flowerybeanbag]

If it will be self-employed work you can do it without it affecting your SMP from your employer.

If it will be working for another employer, even if it's on a short-term basis, your SMP will stop the week you start working for the other employer. You should also be careful to check your contract/staff handbook to see if there are any rules about working for someone else while employed by your main employer.

Have a look here about types of employment. Further down the page there is a guide to working out whether you are self-employed or not.

[CantSleepWontSleep]

And if you'd be doing it on a self-employed basis then don't forget that you need to register with the Inland Revenue as self-employed, and will need to pay National Insurance and complete a tax return.

[Ginni]

My regular full time job is employment by a company in healthcare, and while on maternity leave I want to do some freelance transcribing work which would be on a self-employed basis, with companies who source me work being nothing at all to do with the company who will be paying my maternity pay. I'll need to pay my own national insurance and tax etc as self employed.

"If it will be self-employed work you can do it without it affecting your SMP from your employer."
So am I right in thinking that I will be able to do this transcribing work whilst receiving maternity pay as I will be self employed?

[flowerybeanbag]

Yes that's right.

[jenduck]

Hi, sorry to threadcrash but I was wondering if you have a link with the above information as I am keen to look into this further(can't find it on HMRC website but not sure I am searching properly!)

Many thanks.

[flowerybeanbag]

Jenduck there's not really any further information available about working on self-employed basis when receiving SMP - all you need to know is that you can do so without it affecting your SMP. DWP has an in depth guide to maternity benefits and the page I am giving you first paragraph deals with working during SMP.

[jenduck]

Thanks for that, flowerybeanbag!

[MrAnchovy]

It's DWP who in theory could help you, not HMRC, but Job Centre staff are often poorly trained in issues regarding self employment and maternity leave (which to be fair is not surprising).

Don't worry though, your answer is in black and white here - "If you do any work in a self-employed capacity during your MPP [Maternity Pay Period], then such work will not affect your SMP."

[MrAnchovy]

Oops, wrong thread