Maternity pay

[Faithless12]

Does anyone know if maternity pay can start later than maternity leave? For example if I start maternity leave a month before the baby is due can I ask for maternity pay to start the week the baby is due?

You can take holiday then maternity leave but I don't think you can do what you plan.

Your statutory maternity pay will start when you start maternity leave, but you can (by arrangement with your employer) take annual leave and start your maternity leave straight afterwards - eg finish work at 37 weeks, take 2 weeks annual leave and start your maternity leave at 39 weeks.

However your maternity leave will automatically start when your baby is born, so if your baby arrived at 38 weeks in the above example your leave and pay would start then. You would have to liaise with your employers about how to deal with the week's annual leave you weren't able to take.

On the same line............ I am currently employed and am 8 weeks pregnant, i wish to resign from my job immediately, therefore not entitled to SMP thro my employer. Will I still be able to claim Maternity Allowance thro the government as I quit my job