SMP how does it work

[flowertotty]

Hi!

Can someone explain how SMP works? My due date was the 10th November. I received my pay on 20th December and it had exactly been 6 weeks since my due date. I received my first SMP payment which was a lump sum.

On my next pay, 28th January will I receive my wage off work (half pay) and SMP ( at 184 a week) together?

My work is closed today and really want someone to clarify this!

Thanks x

Is your SMP paid through your work I assume? If so then you usually don’t get half your pay + SMP, they are combined so your work tops the SMP up to half your wage. So say for example half your wage was £1000 that would include your SMP. So if 4 weeks of SMP in that month the £1000 would be made up of £736 + £264 from employer.

You don’t get the £1000 + the SMP (usually).

As above

If you've got contractual maternity pay, ie you get more than the law requires, then normally you get the £184.03/week SMP which the employer tops up to half pay or whatever your contract says.

Depends on your contract though. That and/or your staff handbook should give a concrete answer.

Bear in mind too that the weeks don't necessarily run from your due date but rather from start of Maternity Leave. If you 'go to the wire' and don't stop work until EDD then that's the start point but not otherwise.

Yes my SMP is paid through work. I get 8 weeks full pay and 8 weeks half pay and then SMP at 184 a week. I have already had the 8 weeks full pay but I had £1588 SMP on the 2nd full pay payslip and my first half pay will be on the 28th January. I earn after tax £1764.

What will my wage look like on the 28th January will it be only £882 and then SMP on top of is that included?

So it's your salary before tax, not afterwards. So your half pay will be you total salary before tax, 50% of this after any deductions such as pension. You will maybe pay a small amount of tax. Then once you go onto SMP it will be £184 a week. So let's say your pay before tax is £2250 with no deductions. Your pay this month will be £1125 including your SMP then any deductions will be taken.