Help about Maternity pay for company directors

[Bahben]

Hi

My husband and I have a digital marketing company and both are directors and on payroll in last 5 years.

I am 26 weeks pregnant and want to apply for (SMP). My husband can take over my duties while I am on leave.

I have couple questions and will appreciate if you can help.

How should I apply for SMP? I have asked our accountant but he has no idea about how to apply for SMP and also claiming back from HMRC.

Is something I can apply myself?
Also what is the process of claim the money back from HMRC? Is this need to be done by accountant or I can do myself?

Thanks in advance 🙏

Super easy. If your PAYE bill is enough to offset the SMP you can do it that way, but for a small business that's unlikely and you can apply for it to be paid to the business in advance. You can claim 103% of it. You can do the same for 2 weeks of paternity leave too, but that you can only claim after the paternity leave has started.

www.gov.uk/recover-statutory-payments/if-you-cant-afford-to-make-payments

And once the business has been paid the rebate, you will get it with normal payroll run. So the business will get it all in one lump sum, you will still be paid monthly.

Also, get a new accountant! At the very least he should have looked it up for you even if he hasn't dealt with SMP before. I did, and I'm not even a 'proper' accountant, just a bookkeeper. All this information is readily available on the government website.