Can anyone confirm if my understanding is correct please?
I am close to leaving work and starting to freelance, however am going through a 'shall we have another child' thought process.
This is making me stay at work so that I can claim SMP if appropriate.
However, I have just read up on Maternity Allowance, which seems to suggest that if I stop work, register as self-employed and start paying Class 2 NICs (at £2.40 per week), then I will be able to claim MA at the same rate as I would have received SMP.
Is that right?
If it is then it will ease my mind about leaving work.