Universal credit and maternity leave!

[november90]

Hi everyone!
I'm a newly single Mummy (💔) I have a 3 year old and I'm 24 weeks pregnant. My maternity leave will begin in 11 weeks. I am going to put an application in to universal credit. I will aim to agree child maintenance outside of court etc. I work 20 hours a week and I live at my parents house for now. Will I still be entitled to universal credit when on maternity leave as I think I've just read online I won't and I do not know how I am going to cope finically!

You can make a claim for UC.
They will just deduct SMP as money earned from your maxim UC award.

How does that work? Sorry I'm so new to this and have no idea what it all means! My employment do add to SMP for so many weeks!

UC is worked out on a 4 weekly assessment period. They pay you a set amount for you and your children. They then deduct your SMP and your award is what's left. Which you get paid on the 5the week.

Example:
Single over 25 £317
1st child £277.80
2nd £231.67
Total £826.47

They then deduct your SMP amount.
They also deduct £409 if you have no rent costs.

The amount left is your monthly award.

Once SMP stops if you do not return to work they just stop deducting SMP or if you do go back and have childcare costs your award will increase by up to £1108 (max).
They then deduct your earnings from work allowing for a 63% taper for every pound earned.

This is then deducted from your award and what's left is what you are paid.

Oh I see thank you for explaining! I think that would mean I don't get it whilst on mat leave as I don't pay rent whilst living at my parents so the smp and rent deduction will reduce it to zero 😩