Statutory maternity pay rather low, freelance work allowed on the side?

[xxxIntergalacticxxx]

I’ve had a look at a few threads already, and what I’ve seen it looks like you’re not allowed to trade items to bring up your statutory maternity pay. Bit of a downer for those of us who trade to top up low employment wages when we’re not on maternity leave as a normal way of balancing the books. I’m an artist and don’t make much from what I make, but it does help with various unexpected costs. Do I take the slow investment route and just studiously make art while on maternity leave then only sell it when I’m allowed to again?

You're allowed to do self employed work during mat leave without it affecting your SMP.

Thank you @nerdsville ! Everywhere I looked it seemed as if that was not the case. In fact, I thought you had to pay back money maternity pay if you made money elsewhere (or is that just other employment?). Can I ask how you know this - is it written somewhere officially?

"If you do any work in a self-employed capacity during your MPP, then such work will not affect your SMP."

From section 3.12 on here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/maternity-benefits-technical-guidance/maternity-benefits-technical-guidance

Sorry I didn't really address your other question - if you started working for another employer who you hadn't worked for previously (in your qualifying week to be precise) then your SMP would stop from when you started doing the work.

As per the link above, self employed work doesn't impact it.

Thank you @nerdsville, my plan was to relaunch my freelance work while on maternity leave as it will just involve posting paintings for sale on the internet (not in any way hard work) but I still need my employment for my basic bills.

Is that the same for Mat Allowance- unfortunately I won't have been at my job long enough to get SMP, but I'd love to keep doing my part time summer self employed work

Also - what about affiliate and brand partnerships etc? I get a tiny amount from a blog that I run and a few regular brand partnerships (not much, but something) which would help once on MA pay.
(It's not enough to reliably equal £150 a week)