Can I work odd days while receiving maternity pay?

[lowrib]

I'm getting the statutory minimum from my old employer. I was working on a temp contract though so although I'm getting paid for maternity leave I don't have a job to go back to.

Money's going to be pretty tight towards the end of my maternity leave. Can I do the odd day here and there to supplement the maternity pay, or is the point of maternity pay that you are not working at all?

What about earning small amounts of money from things like paid focus groups?

TIA

Have you checked out your entitlements to tax credits/benefits?

You can do 10 odd days - any after that, I think you lose the whole week's pay. They are called Keeping in Touch days. I think the focus groups would count as KIT days.

About halfway down this page:
www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/DG _175088

Hiya Simplysally I'm on the case with tax credits, but can't really do any more till my self-employed DP sends his very overdue tax returns in

CherryChoc that's great, thanks

Depends on the nature of the work. If it's employed work then 10 days, if it's self-employed, as much as you like.

fbb are you sure? I'm self employed (only v recently though) and I thought the keeping in touch days worked the same.

If you are receiving SMP from an employer and then work as self-employed while receiving it, you can do as much as you like.

DWP technical guidance, work for the same or a new employer affects SMP, self-employed work doesn't.

Thanks for the link flowerybeanbag I had a look at the links. It turns out KIT days don't apply to me unfortunately as they have to be for the same employer, but I don't have a job now (I was on a temp contract).

Looks like I can do self employed though, that's good news.