What would maternity pay be based on?

[buzzybeetop]

Wondering if anyone can help me. I'm currently working 2 days, one for the nhs and the other one is for a small company where maternity pay is SMP. I'm thinking about giving up the job for the small company and working both days for the nhs but I'm currently trying to get pregnant. My question is if I got pregnant immediately after handing in my notice I obviously wouldn't get mat pay from that job but would my nhs job just give mat pay based on part time or full time even if I was pregnant before starting full time? Hope that makes sense!

Well SMP is based on average earnings between weeks 17 and 25 of your pregnancy, but as the NHS pay more than SMP you'll need to check your maternity policy at your NHS job to find out how they calculate maternity pay and what terms and conditions they put on it.

Thanks that's really helpful. It's not clear on the NHS maternity pay guide what would happen in this situation but would only get SMP from other job anyway.

I thought SMP was based on the 8 weeks before you went on mat leave

Really? The NHS maternity pay guide doesn't say anything about what maternity pay is based on?

VeremyJyle no that's not correct. Or it's not for SMP anyway.

I think you need to look at the guidance for your Trust. I'm not sure if each hospital does it differently but I've just checked what my hospital's policy says:

OMP will be paid as follows:

Weeks 1 to 8

During this period the employee will receive full pay, based on their average weekly earnings. Average earnings are calculated on the two months prior to the 15th week before the expected due date. This pay includes any Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) or maternity allowance (including any dependants? allowances) entitlement that the employee may be qualified to receive.

Weeks 9 to 26

During this period the employee will receive half pay plus any SMP entitlement that they may be qualified to receive to the extent that their full pay is not exceeded. For the tax year 2010/2011 SMP is paid at £124.88 per week.

Weeks 27 to 39

During this period the employee will receive SMP entitlement only.

Weeks 40 to 52

This period of additional maternity leave is unpaid.