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Original poster

Missed Smp by 2 weeks

14 replies

Fozzy123 · 17/09/2015 06:36

I'm so very worried. I'm only 5 weeks pregnant and just found out I miss out on statutory maternity pay by 2 weeks. I feel stupid that I did not know about this. All. I have ever wanted was to be pregnant now all I can think about is not having any money.

OP posts:

AbiBranning · 17/09/2015 06:47

Will you qualify for SMA, that usually kicks in when smp isn't applicable. Also at 5 wks your dates maybe out. See what the scan says that's what they will date it from anyway.

addictedtosugar · 17/09/2015 06:50

Were you working elsewhere before this job? In which case you should qualify for SMA. It is then only the first 6 weeks that are different (massively different, but itis only 6 weeks)

Congrats on your pregnancy.

Original poster

Fozzy123 · 17/09/2015 07:24

I was doing agency work before the job I have now. So not sure if I qualify for SMA or not. But I was working with the agency since April.

OP posts:

addictedtosugar · 17/09/2015 10:41

You'll have to get the paperwork out, and do the maths, but gov www for SMA says
In the 66 weeks before your baby’s due, you must also have been:

employed or self-employed for at least 26 weeks
earning (or classed as earning) at least £30 a week over any 13-week period
You may still qualify if you’ve recently stopped working. It doesn’t matter if you had different jobs or periods of unemployment.

I'd think you'd be OK on this tho??

Original poster

Fozzy123 · 17/09/2015 17:25

I'll have a look into that. Thank you for the advice. Its crazy how I'm worrying about everything at the minute and appreciate people's support.

OP posts:

Ta1kinPeace · 18/09/2015 17:08

Hmmm.
What is your family history on late / early births relative to due date?
Could you persuade your midwife that the maths is wrong and to move your due date.
I did.
And my baby was born even later than the amended due date!

atticusclaw2 · 18/09/2015 17:10

Do not fraudulently claim SMP by lying and persuading your midwife that the dates are wrong. That's really really bad advice.

Ta1kinPeace · 18/09/2015 17:19

It wasn't fraudulent : due dates are an average
I knew my baby would be late
so that is what we put

atticusclaw2 · 18/09/2015 17:22

Sorry Talk. I generally rate your advice (particularly the financial stuff) but you advised the OP to persuade her midwife that the dates were wrong knowing that they were not. That's fraudulent and since it impacts on her employment would be really very stupid.

Your personal decision to give the wrong information in your situation but just because you thought there was a good chance your baby would be late does not change the due date or the law.

LieselVonTwat · 18/09/2015 17:26

Regardless of whether it's fraud or not, it seems unlikely that OP could pull it off. To get SMP, you need to have been working for your employer since the week before the first week of your pregnancy. As week 1 of pregnancy is calculated from day 1 of the cycle which is on average 2 weeks before the conception, OP would have to have been with her employer 3 weeks before she conceived. If she's 2 weeks out, that's quite a lot. Especially as so many Trusts are now completely inflexible about calculating due date by anything other than measurements at the dating scan. I have a feeling your children are in their teens ta1kinpeace? I think it would be harder to pull off these days.

OP, if you're working now, have been since April and will be doing so for most of the pregnancy you're almost certain to get Maternity Allowance. It's quite straightforward to apply for, I did it and had no problems. It's a maximum of £140 a week. SMP is only 6 weeks at 90% of your salary and then 33 weeks at £140, so you may not actually be losing that much.

Canweaffordit · 18/09/2015 17:29

At your booking appt your midwife will only care about first date of last period. This then works out due date for their records for for deciding when 12 weeks scan is. At 12 week scan you will get an official due date. This is then confirmed at 20week scan. Your MATB1 form will be given to you after 20 week scan in sure and that is the document used for smp or sma I'm sure. You could lie to mw but you will be found out when it comes to scanning time. I have no idea how the other player got away with lying.

Canweaffordit · 18/09/2015 17:29

Oops not player, poster.

Ta1kinPeace · 18/09/2015 17:29

Fair point : and it was only 6 weeks money when I had my kids

Original poster

Fozzy123 · 18/09/2015 18:04

I've looked at SMA and I think I'm eligible for that so I'm not going to have to lie about my due date. Its a little less than Smp but not much as I work part time anyhow. I'm over the moon to be pregnant and don't care if I'm poor.

OP posts:

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