Maternity allowance help

[strawberriesandcream23]

Hello,

I do not qualify for SMP as I don’t earn enough however I have been told I will be able to get maternity allowance. However I’m a bit confused how it works as I’m on a seasonal contract. Basically I earn a salary between April-October , then go to causal hours from November to March. During the causal hours I work a lot less than my contracted hours so earn a lot less. I know MA is for 39 weeks, but based on my due date etc. I wouldn’t usually be earning the same amount within the 39 weeks if that makes sense. Does anyone know how it works if you earn a lot less during some months?

Thank you in advance

You need to earn over (from memory) £30 in 26 out of the 66 weeks prior to your expected delivery date. There should be an explanation on the govt website.

Here. It is £30 but only 13 weeks needed. You need to have been employed for at least 26 out of 66 weeks.

www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/eligibility

When you apply, you need to provide payslips to prove your entitlement, I believe it's for 13 of the previous 66 weeks (I'm sure someone can correct me on those figures if I'm out), but they don't have to be consecutive weeks.

Pick your top earning weeks and submit those, as it can make the difference between getting £151 a week or £27 a week! It doesn't matter that other weeks you could have earned very little or nothing at all.

Thanks everyone. I know I’ve earnt over £30 a week for 13 weeks and can provide 13 weeks of playslips for this. I guess what I’m worried about is them realising I don’t usually get paid a lot between nov- March but with MA I would receive a bigger payment based on the payslips I provided for the 13 weeks that I would usually get during this time so I’m worried I then have to pay it back?

It’s fine to submit your highest payslips. That’s literally how it works.

I'm in a similar situation!!

My confusion is how do you know if you'll get the £151 or £27 a week?

I tick all the boxes for the 39 weeks allowance. I only earn £665 a month. Will I qualify for the £151?

@ker89

I'm in a similar situation!!

My confusion is how do you know if you'll get the £151 or £27 a week?

I tick all the boxes for the 39 weeks allowance. I only earn £665 a month. Will I qualify for the £151?

You get 151 or 90% of your wage for 39 weeks. Whichever is less.

@ker89

I'm in a similar situation!!

My confusion is how do you know if you'll get the £151 or £27 a week?

I tick all the boxes for the 39 weeks allowance. I only earn £665 a month. Will I qualify for the £151?

So you'd probably get the 90% as it's less than the £151

Thank you- I think I understand it now, it just seems a strange way of doing it because of course I’m gonna pick the payslips where I’ve earned the most so based on those ones I’d receive the full amount even though I wouldn’t be earning that some months if I wasn’t on maternity leave. I feel like I’m doing something dodgy

Pick the weeks with the highest earnings. You will then get 90% of that or £151.20 whichever is lower.