Statutory mat pay

[GoldenGirl88]

Hi all, wondering if anyone can help with my calculations for statutory mat pay, company don’t offer anything enhanced.

I am intending on getting signed off from work at the end of this week due to stress of the role (long story). I will be 25 weeks to the day.

I get paid on the 15th of every month for that whole month (so I will get paid for July on the 15th of this month, 2 weeks worked and 2 weeks ahead).

The government website says my qualifying week is the 11th to 17th July.

Does anyone know how much this will affect my pay, if at all? I can’t work out when my 8 week period will be . Sorry if I’ve missed any useful info!

Thanks so much!

I think if you're signed off sick you count as working, so it shouldn't affect anything at all? Other people with actual expertise will be along shortly but I can't see if being an issue, are you worried it will affect your pay calculation?

@Heyha Yes I was worried it’d take me under the minimum amount to qualify for smp

The government website says my qualifying week is the 11th to 17th July

Your qualifying WEEKS are from week 17 - 25, it's your average earnings in those 8 weeks that determine your maternity pay.

If you only get stat sick pay during those weeks then yes your maternity pay will be affected.

I knew someone who knew stuff would come along 🙂
So if OP gets signed off she needs to wait til week 26 to be 'safe'?

So you plan to be signed off til you go on mat leave OP? Remember it's not guaranteed that a doctor will do you a note although I have no experience of that either. If you get it signed so it's pregnancy related (so it can't count on any future sickness calculations) if you're then still off on week 36 they can make you start maternity leave which is maybe a little earlier than a lot of people would choose. If you get signed off as non-pregnancy reason then the normal absence policies would apply but you'd dodge the 36 week rule.

I guess what I'm saying is by all means do what you need to do to preserve your health but just be careful in your thinking- is there any way things could be changed at work (thorough you pregnancy risk assessment?) for you to avoid trying to get signed off or at least keeping this to a minimum? What would reduce that stress for you?

Hi OP, you may know this already but I heard somewhere recently that going off sick after 24 weeks means that they can start your maternity leave early (from the time you go off sick). I am not sure where the origin of that came from as never been through it before but might be best to check it out.

That's not correct at all, it's week 36 onwards IF your sickness absence is pregnancy-related, as per my post.

maternityaction.org.uk/advice/sickness-during-pregnancy-and-maternity-leave/

Ah ok, I can't remember where a heard it but obviously an unreliable source! Thanks for the correction.

@GoldenGirl88

I'm hoping to start my maternity at 29 weeks but I'm currently only 22 so my work (NHS) have suggested I get a sick note to cover me until then, they then look back over the 12 week period before my due date and asses maternity leave based on how many hours I've worked etc.
You're still classed as working on a sick note so it shouldn't effect maternity pay.. I think! It's all very confusing x

[quote OliviaL9530]@GoldenGirl88

I'm hoping to start my maternity at 29 weeks but I'm currently only 22 so my work (NHS) have suggested I get a sick note to cover me until then, they then look back over the 12 week period before my due date and asses maternity leave based on how many hours I've worked etc.
You're still classed as working on a sick note so it shouldn't effect maternity pay.. I think! It's all very confusing x[/quote]
This might work in places like the NHS where you get six months full pay on sick leave but it doesn't work if you only get statutory sick pay (I.e most other work places)

@pastabest

I'm only a bank worker so only entitled to SSP, I don't hold a substantive post so don't get the full trimmings unfortunately