How long do you have to be in a job to get maternity pay

[Bettycakes80]

Hi everyone, newbie here. Hoping you can help. DH and I currently ttc but I start a new job on 2nd December. So should we stop trying until I start and when is the earliest I could get pregnant and qualify for maternity pay?

this is the eligibility for maternity pay:

To qualify for SMP you must:

*earn on average at least £109 a week
*give the correct notice
*give proof you’re pregnant
*have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks up to the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth - called the ‘qualifying week’

Work out your qualifying week using the maternity pay calculator.

Basically you have to have started working for them before getting pregnant.

www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/eligibility

so basically you would need to have worked for them for at least a week before conceiving

It'll be a week before you last period before conceiving, about 5 weeks before you get a positive test.

if you don't get matwrnity pay you may get maternity allowance. its almost the same as smp but is paid direct from the job centre.

That's really helpful thank you! I guess we'll have to put the breaks on till Christmas

If the company you're going to work for has occupational maternity pay then you may find there is a longer qualifying period to be entitled to the occupational maternity pay. If you have the 26weeks at the 15week before your EWC then you would still get SMP providing you met the other conditions.