Can being off sick impact Maternity Pay?

[BlueButTrue]

Not SMP, paid by the employer. But MA (Maternity Allowance).

Google isn’t helping, I can’t find much to suggest if it will or not. The only info on it is how being off sick would impact the maternity package paid by your employer.

It’s really confusing.

I started my job on 10th April 2017. I have been off with pregnancy related sickness for a good chunk of that time.

I went on maternity leave on the 17th of this month. There was a muck up with HR returning my forms, so I’m having to backdate my claim

It shouldn't, if you are still paid your normal salary - MA is based on your average earnings over a set period of time, so if your earnings weren't reduced, then your MA shouldn't be affected.

Stinkbomb My salary wasn’t reduced but I ended up on sick pay, which naturally is a lot less?

Have you entered your earnings info into the mat allowance calculator?

www.gov.uk/pay-leave-for-parents/y

It should tell you how much you'll be entitled to.

You will need to look at the whole period
from: www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance/eligibility

Maternity Allowance for 39 weeks
You might get Maternity Allowance for 39 weeks if one of the following applies:

you’re employed, but you can’t get Statutory Maternity Pay
you’re self-employed and pay Class 2 National Insurance
you’ve recently stopped working
In the 66 weeks before your baby’s due, you must also have been:

employed or self-employed for at least 26 weeks
earning (or classed as earning) £30 a week or more in at least 13 weeks - the weeks don’t have to be together
You may still qualify if you’ve recently stopped working. It doesn’t matter if you had different jobs or periods of unemployment.

Were you receiving SSP?

Your maternity leave start date might well be backdated to 4 weeks before the due date if you have been off sick with pregnancy-related illness.