confused as to what im entiteled to stat maternity pay, maternity allowence or none? can anyone help?

[milliemoocow]

I have been on ssp for 8 weeks and look like its going to be another 2 week before i return if my doc signs me off again with pregnancy related illness (long story lol) but im now worried that it will affect my smp as i no it does if u r off sick for a certain period of time. so i wondered am i still entitled to it or will i be able to claim mat allowence instead or will i just get nothing? If im not going to get anything i may as well just quit my job and have done with all thi stress lol!!!

Trying to remember. I think if you've worked for your employer for more than 26 weeks you are entitled to at least SMP. So you get 90% salary (min £108 per week) for 6 weeks then £108 per week for 33 weeks.

I am not sure exactly how or when the 90% is calculated, if you are within 11 weeks of the birth and don't intend to return it porbably won't make any difference if you finish now.

thanx 4 ur response katyjo im only 16 week thats the prob, i left my old job (which i worked at 4 2 yr) in june 08 to start this new one then in sept found out i was expecting and have been on ssp for 8 week as i had all sorts of complications

Hi milliemoocow. You will qualify for SMP as long as your sickness does not take your earnings below the threshold. However, the pay that they use to calculate SMP is that earned in the period of weeks 17-25 of pregnancy, so you will find that unless you are a low wage earner, being on SSP for 2 weeks of the 8 week test-period will reduce your SMP during the 6 week 90% of earnings part of SMP, but unless you earn less than an average of £120 per week, shouldn't affect the rest of SMP.

thankyou that is great i can finally make sense of it i have been really stressed wondering what to do and what will happen... im sure pregnancy makes you worry more than usual lol!!! (maybe its my hormones haha)