Planning second baby to fit with Mat Allowance...help!

[tattooedmumofone]

I'm sure this has been widely discussed but the Gov website is very confusing and my baby brain isn't helping... hoping you guys can help :)

I'm currently on Mat leave with my first... due to return to work May next year. I don't want to return to work and we are thinking about planning the next baby so that I can claim Mat allowance within the 66 week test period.

If my last day of employment is 24 May 2019, what period would I need to get pregnant in to still qualify as recently employed? Can anyone help or share any advice?

Maternity Action says this, but I can't work it out for the life of me...

To get MA:

You need to have been employed or self-employed for at least 26 weeks (they do not need to be in a row) out of the 66 weeks before your expected week of childbirth.

You’d need to get pregnant 26 weeks before you become unemployed - that’s if you’re not going to get a job anywhere else. If you are going to work elsewhere you will need to work for 26 weeks at some point in 66 weeks before your due date.

Does that make any more sense?!

Yes I was thinking it would have to be November time, just wasn't 100% sure. Thank you!

I read it as the op needs to be pregnant by the time they leave employment. Explanation: you need to have worked 26 weeks out of 66, which leaves 40 weeks of not working. Pregnancy is generally considered 40 weeks. So you could not work for the duration of the pregnancy and still have worked 26 of the 66 weeks...

Time on maternity leave generally counts as time working (for national insurance purposes anyway), so I think maternity leave might count as part of the 26 weeks..?

But please listen to other posters!!!!

Hang on yes - I’m wrong - in theory as long as you were pregnant (and had an expected due date) within 40 weeks of your leaving date you would get MA as you would have worked for 26 weeks out of the 60 (as pregnancy is 40 weeks).

Ah! This is so confusing. I will give Maternity Action a call tomorrow as they probably have a very good understanding of this. Thank you