SMP and Universal Credit

[JKL2014]

Does anyone have any experience of claiming universal credit while on maternity leave and statutory maternity pay?

I can’t figure out the calculators because my usual salary is too high to be entitled to anything and wondering how it works/if it works while on SMP only?

SMP would be classed as income for UC. Your partners income would be taken into account too and your rent.

you will be assessed based on what you actually earn in monthly assessment periods if you are employed. (There are different rules about self employment).

The main income types are wages and self employed earnings. (If you have capital of between £6000 - £15999 your UC willl also be lower.)

It is in arrears. Sometimes SMP will be reported through real time (HMRC) but not always. It will treated as wages and be tapered. There is a taper - for every £1 you earn they reduce UC by 63p.

Entitledto.co.uk has a good explanation

www.entitledto.co.uk/help/Other-payments-from-employment-Universal-Credit

And info on how UC is calculated

www.entitledto.co.uk/help/Calculating-Universal-Credit