Can someone help me understand maternity pay?

[LynnMcV]

Can someone help me understand maternity pay?

I've just found out i'm pregnant (yay! we're very happy!) were 4 weeks along today, the first day of my last period was the 4th of August.

I start my new job on the 8th of September. My due date is the 12th of May. Am I entitled to maternity pay from the government or my employer?

I've read up on it and know it's 15 weeks before you're due the baby etc but i feel like i'm being incredibly stu it and i can't work it out, can someone help? Thank you SO much

You might not get Statuary Maternity Pay. Would you qualify for maternity allowance?

Unless you are currently working for the same company and the new job is just in a different department, you wouldn't qualify for maternity pay as need to be working for your employer prior to falling pregnant. You may well qualify for maternity allowance so worth looking into that instead.

You will not qualify for statutory maternity pay. You could qualify for maternity allowance:

In the 66 weeks before your baby’s due, you must have been:

• employed or self-employed for at least 26 weeks
• earning (or classed as earning) £30 a week or more in at least 13 weeks - the weeks do not have to be together

You may still qualify if you’ve recently stopped working. It does not matter if you had different jobs or periods of unemployment.

If you usually earn £30 or more a week and only earned less in some weeks because you were paid but not working (‘on furlough’) under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, you may still be eligible. You must give details in your claim form.

As others have said, unfortunately you won't qualify for statutory maternity pay as you have to be working for your employer at the time you fall pregnant. It would definitely be worth looking into maternity allowance though!