Mat Pay / Allowance

[18yearsoftrying]

Employer 1 - Significantly reduced my hours/pay by a massive 85% recently. Salary now less than £150 nett pcm. Also changed to fixed contract (from open ended/long term) which will see me no longer employed as of week 14 before EDD.

Employer 2 - Pays me just less than £400 nett pcm. Long term, employed for a few years.

HOWEVER - the income I also earn from my self-employment brings in an average of just over £800 pcm. I only started this at the start of this tax year.

EDD is mid Nov....do I absolutely HAVE to try & claim SMP through an employer or can I choose to claim the allowance (because it will be a higher amount)?

The accountant is not answering my calls

Doesn't SMP pay the basic amount (£138) for the first 6 weeks as a minimum even if your 90% is less ? MA isn't any higher .

I have no experience and it may get complicated but I'd say go through self employed route purely because if you earn less than whatever amount, you get less don't you?