pregnant friend stressing over maternity pay - please help.

[nickschick]

My friend is pregnant with a much awaited baby due on the 23rd of Sept,she was working at a pre school that is shut for the summer holidays,so when the school returns in Sept she will begin her maternity leave.

As the business is v small her employer has told her she will government maternity pay and the person who sirts out all the tax and wages etc (cant remember the official title) is arranging it .....thing is friend has had no notification when these payments will start and how much or how regularly and is worrying herself sick,how can she find out whats happening?

And having seen a pdf format of the maternity allowance form surely she will need to sign it??

Not sure how to link but l

Not sure how to link but look up SMP on the directgov website, and you should find some answers.

We looked but didnt really found out much .

Why is it maternity allowance - has she not been working there long or something?

Here about whether she qualifies for SMP and here about how much it is.

Here about Maternity Allowance if she's not been with her employer long enough to qualify for SMP.

Size of employer is completely irrelevant btw.

flowery i was hoping youd answer have seen you on these posts before .

She works part time and has done for over a year at the pre school -she doesnt earn lots of money but just recently doing a maternity leave cover for another employee who has had a baby.

She herself is not sure what shes being paid,how shes being paid etc but her empoyer told her it would be the government who paid it as the business is too small???

It must be surely SMP shes entitled too but the boss said the accountant would sort it out? she really doesnt know how shes going to paid or when?

The links I provided will tell her whether she qualifies for SMP (she meets the length of service requirements but needs to check the earnings requirements) and also how much she will be paid.

Her employer pays it and they can claim it back from HMRC but that's for them to worry about not her. Size of business makes no difference to her. Very small businesses can claim back more than bigger businesses but it doesn't affect her at all.

Her employer has some obligations and once she's written confirming her pregnancy and confirming the date she wants her mat leave to start, they need to write back to her confirming what pay she will receive and what date she is expected back to work.

Have a look at these

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/DG_10039631

www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Expectingorbringingupchildren/DG_175881

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/DG_175088

In terms of when she's paid it's up to her to tell her employer when she wants to start mat leave, as long as it's after 11th week before baby is due. She should receive it in the same way as she gets paid normally.

Flowery shes sorted it today thanks to your help - thanks again .