Short Term Contract and Maternity

[WipsGlitter]

Am about to start a new job with a one year contract. DP and I are thinking about having another baby and I was thinking of timing things so that the baby is born when the contract comes to an end, ie if it ended on 31st Dec would aim for the baby to be born in Jan or Feb.

I know I would not be entitled to any maternity pay (as I would no longer be employed) but am I entitled to any stat maternity pay or JSA or will we just have to tighten belts?

Yes you would get maternity allowance if the timings were right......I would look into it now and see when you would have to be working until to qualify.

You'd get maternity allowance, I think. Details here

you have been working 26 weeks out of the 66 weeks before your baby is born

www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Expectingorbringingupchildren/DG_10018869

You ought to be entitled to SMP rather than MA. To qualify for SMP you need to have been employed for 26 weeks by the time you are 25 weeks pregnant, and be still employed by the time you are 29 weeks pregnant. So as you are about to start a job and are not yet pregnant, as long as you don't get pregnant until a couple of weeks into the job, and don't leave before you are 29 weeks pregnant, you'll get SMP.