Statutory Maternity Pay - Confused!

[BeccaJeanx]

I'm currently on Maternity Leave, and it states that you should get £138.18 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower). My average weekly earnings is about £250 a week plus commission.

The last 2 or 3 months, I have been paid 50 or 60 pounds more than what expected.

Why is this?

Do you normally have any benefits or allowances such as for a car which are paid in cash ? Any commission paid during your qualifying weeks would have been taken into account in your 90% for first 6 weeks.

You get 90% of earnings for the first 6 weeks regardless of how much you earn. From week 7 it goes down to the statutory rate.

If that's not the reason you'll have to ask whoever does your payroll for a breakdown.

Tax ? You'll have paid some tax before you went on leave.