Help on maternity allowance

[teatoast8]

Hi, I've asked on this before, but I just want to double-check something. I know you have to earn £30 in any 13 weeks in the 26th week period before your due date. I'm due may 11th. Was planning on going back in January. It says you have to be employed 26 weeks before the due date as well. So does that mean you have to work all those weeks, or could I stay off til January. Or will I have to go back earlier.

Just to clarify, i will still be employed 26 weeks before the due date and will earn above the threshold for those 13 weeks.

Tia x

Bump

Eligibility
You can get Maternity Allowance for up to 39 weeks if you’ve been either:

• registered as self-employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby’s due
• employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby’s due

If you’ve been employed, you must have been earning (or classed as earning) £30 a week or more in at least 13 weeks of your employment. 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.

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According to this you aren't limited to the 26 weeks before the birth for the 13 weeks of pay. If you are in employment, regardless of being off sick then that counts. You can use any 13 weeks of pay in the 66 week period before the baby is due so you'd choose the weeks where you've been paid the most money to maximise your maternity allowance.

Will you not earn enough to qualify for SMP?

I suppose it depends if you are getting any pay in weeks 17-25 of pregnancy as that's what SMP is calculated from

I won't be going back that period and only be doing 2 mornings.

So being off on maternity will class too?

Count*

Yes,you will be counted as employed even when on maternity leave.

Thank you so much. Been stressing out it. Thought I'd have to go back earlier. Happy I don't have to x