Maternity Pay

[namechangeSkint]

I'm currently on maternity leave, receiving just SMP (nothing additional from employer). I get child benefit but not entitled to anything else due to partner's income.

Things are pretty lean at the moment, bills are covered but we need to keep a close eye on the cost of the weekly shop, petrol etc, and there isn't much left for other costs (school uniform, birthdays, Christmas etc).

Am I allowed to take a little part time job while on SMP? (^I'm guessing possibly not, but I'm hopeful).

^
I'm not ready to return to work yet, it's full-time, high stress level, long commute etc. But I would be more than happy to do a few hours a week in a pub / cafe / shop just to get some extra cash to see us through the next few months.

If working while on SMP is not allowed, any other suggestions to generate a bit of extra cash? I've got a pile of things to stick on eBay but nothing high value.

You can start a self employed business but not take on an new employed job.

The £10 a day thread in the money section on here has lots of info of work you can do to raise some extra cash

Can you use your KIT days?

One day a week for 10 weeks paid at your usual rate on top of SMP.

That's interesting, thanks @bookgirl1982 I like the idea of being self-employed, just need to figure out what I can do well enough that people would actually want to pay me!

I'll speak to work about KIT days @BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz Not sure how much use I would be to them one day per week ( they've previously declined a request to go part time and said that my role must be full time), but I think COVID messed up their plans to recruit a replacement for me while I was on leave, so it's a possibility.

Just to note that KIT days don't have to be paid so best to check that is the case with your employer before starting them.