Trouble understanding qualifying weeks for smp

[ThisNimblePeer]

Hi I have trouble understanding how exactly my statutory maternity pay will be calculated. I have two different places telling me two different things.
I am a zero hour worker, I work in hospitality. My baby is due 3/08/25. Since December I have been doing less than half of my usual working hours due to the beginning of year economy, not many people coming up to stay on the coast so my work is really quiet at the minute.
will pick up up again March/ April time a little bit I hope.
so now I’m confused about the qualifying weeks. Citizens advice has told me that because I don’t earn more than £123 a week at the moment I won’t get smp, but maternity allowance, and the qualifying period is any week in the 66 weeks I have been working for my employer
so I thought that’s great, my allowance should be based on the summer last year where I was earning a brilliant sum of money each week
now I’m reading based on a gov calculator online that, the qualifying weeks are 21st of feb to 24th of April because I wish to leave at the earliest date possible, which would be 18th of may. I’ve jotted down an average pay I am expecting those weeks. So the answer I got was that I will get smp but it’ll be £118 a week 💀

please go easy on me im just confused about the ‘66 week’ and ‘8 week’ rule that’s all xxxx

I think you may be confusing the requirements for SMP and MA - they have very different requirements.
Also, SMP and MA are calculated very differently, too.

If you haven't earned enough for SMP (which is usually based on the 8 weeks pay before your "qualifying week". The qualifying week is based on your due date.),
then you may get MA instead - The MA is where the 66 weeks comes into play instead.

The "test period" is the 66 weeks from 28 April 2024 - 2 August 2025 (if your due date is 3 August 2025).
You will need to provide payslips (assuming you've been employed) for 13 weeks of this period.

This might explain things better: https://workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/calculating-maternity-pay/

Thankyou for your reply - so would I basically be better off to just get maternity allowance then? As you can choose any weeks in that period? I would JUST qualify for Smp - looking at earning about £140-150 in those weeks. And I only get 90% of that
is there in any way I can refuse it?

You can only get MA if you cannot get SMP from your employer. ie, if you don't qualify for SMP.

IF you don't qualify for SMP (which takes into consideration your earnings in the 8 weeks up to your "qualifying week"), THEN you may qualify for MA (Which is based on the 66 weeks basis).

Thankyou, I have spoken to my employer and they said I can choose whichever I wish.

If you're eligible for SMP, that's not a choice that an employer can offer either.

With that said, if you work less hours in what would be your qualifying weeks, your pay may not be above the threshold required for SMP which may mean that you would then qualify for MA.