To think I can get two lots of SMP?

[slurpyburbybaby]

I have two part time jobs which make up practically a full week. I have been reading about mat pay as I'm due my first baby and from what I can see as I have two jobs I can claim two lots of SMP or am I understanding it right?? Has anyone experienced this?? Thank you

What a strange entitlement! Like others have pointed out I find it slightly unfair.

It seems so unfair that someone on a 2 good wages like this can get two lots of support.
Someone on minimum wage full time will only be earning just above half of what you do, but only get 1 lot of smp.

I don't blame.you for taking what you are entitled to, it just seems rather unfair.

@FartleBarfle

It's great that you can claim two lots, if be chuffed too. But its also so weird that this happens! I thought there was a certain amount of SMP per baby, rather than job. The reason that's annoying is I want to share leave with my husband but in doing so I have to sacrifice my maternity pay for each week he takes. As we have a job each, it seems silly that he can't get his own entitlement if someone else can claim two jobs - if that makes sense.

I'm still happy for you, I just think there needs to be more done to make it equal for men and women. I have recently found out my 90% pay is calculated from my bonus month, so I'll essentially be earning more than I normally do during that time, so I'm feeling pretty lucky too!

Good luck and enjoy x

My qualifying week for my second child was around the time of my 'superbonus' at work. I was bloody minted. I don't think I will ever earn as much money again in my life

Thera seems to be a few "unfairly" based benefits I suppose. I wonder are there any others?

I have 2 jobs. One 27 hours and one 0 hours but work there every week. I have been at the zero hours for 15 years. I received smp for both jobs.

@rankoutsider that's great thank you.

Surely that's not right. You might be able to claim it but isn't it benefit fraud? Has anyone evidence from HMRC that it is allowed?

How do you work out the qualifying week? I’m thinking if I did loads of overtime that week it might be beneficial

A nice bonus for you, but seems odd / illogical

@tinyme77

Surely that's not right. You might be able to claim it but isn't it benefit fraud? Has anyone evidence from HMRC that it is allowed?

I received it back in 2014 when I had two part time jobs. Hasn’t been queried yet by HMRC, both of my employers knew about it. The midwife was aware. It’s not fraud.

From Gov.Uk

More than one employer
If you have more than one employer, you may be entitled to SMP from each one (so you could get more than one lot of SMP). The same is true if you have more than one contract with the same employer, if your NI contributions are paid separately for each contract.

Remember that your doctor or midwife can issue you with one maternity certificate (form MATB1) only. So if you do qualify for SMP from more than one employer, your other employer will have to tell you what other medical evidence is acceptable (see proving your baby is due).

The qualifying week is 11 weeks before baby is due.

So if you were weekly paid you would be looking at the 8 payslips dated before the qualifying week unless a pay date falls in the qualifying week in which case you would use that one and the previous 7.

For monthly paid you would use the 2 payslips prior to the qualifying week and average them into a weekly amount eg add the NICable pay together, multiply by 6 and divide by 52. Again if the pay date falls in the qualifying week then use that month plus one prior month.

So if your qualifying week falls 20th to 27th January and you were paid in the 25th you would use January and December.

Hope that makes sense!

Gosh that is an unfair loophole considering (as far as I'm aware?) the government pays for SMP, the employers claims in back. If it was funded by the employer then it wouldn't matter.

But I'm pleased for you OP, I have benefited from other loopholes int be past, it's one of those things!

@tinyme77 it's definitely not benefit fraud.

Thank you. I wonder whether it is meant to allow people with two low paid jobs to be entitled to full SMP rather than 2 x SMP.

@tinyme77 as far as I can see you get full SMP or 90% of your wage (whichever is lower) so i doesn't seem to be a way of bringing those with lower wages up.

If I quickly calculate then I can see that 90% of my wage would be 249 per week from job 1 and 227 from job 2
So I will get 151 from each job.

It’s definitely taking the piss and it’s definitely a loophole that they’ll hopefully close soon.

@emilyfrost there must have been a reason to begin with though. Why would they do it otherwise?

I have just found lots of info in it on maternityaction.org so it is quite commonly used by agency nurses and supply teacher as far as I can see