Statutory Maternity Pay and self employed work

[Melpomene]

I'm getting SMP from my employer, and am halfway through my paid maternity leave. I am not going to be returning to my job, but I've been offered some work on a self-employed basis by another company.

Can anyone confirm that my SMP will be unaffected if I do some self-employed work? I know that SMP can be stopped if you work as an employee, but can't find any information about what happens if you do self-emploed work while on maternity leave.

I'm pretty sure it cant be stopped as its not means tested. Have you looked at the maternity alliance web site i think its www.maternityalliance.org.

i did some self employed work in the last week of my SMP.....
It was not affected.....

I think it is affected if your employer is still paying some though....let me check i have asked a similar question

this thread may help

The employer gets most of smp back through the inland revenue and if you are not employed you are still entitled to smp therefore it cannot be possible for your employer to stop paying you. Thats why it is called Statatory. Hope this helps.

I would have thought it would be stopped as you are not allowed to work and claim SMP unless you already had 2 jobs before you began your maternity leave and returned to one whilst continuing to be paid SMP from the other.

I know this is definately the case with being an employee for someone else, I think you need to take advice from the IR regarding you being self employed.