Maternity Pay and temporary contracts

[TabithaTwitchet]

I am thinking of applying for a new job on a one and a half year long contract.
I am currently trying to get pregnant.

I was just wondering if anyone knew how it worked with SMP and temporary contracts.

For example, if I give birth before my contract ends, would I be eligible for SMP for the whole 39 weeks, or only until the end of my contract - and if so, what would happen then? Could I get Maternity Allowance?

Bump, anyone?

Depends on how you are employed on your contract. I use an umbrella company for my contracts, so I'm technically PAYE via them and they pay my SMP. There are rules about number of qualifying weeks etc. If you do qualify for SMP it should be for the whole span IYSWIM.

Otherwise Maternity Allowance is probably an alternative, but again, there are a number of qualifying weeks.

The government direct website should have links to all this (sorry am too lazy to look it up)

The fact that you will be on a fixed term contract doesn't matter. To get SMP you need to be continuously employed by the same employer for 26 weeks by the 15th week before your due date to qualify. As long as you meet those requirements you get your 39 weeks SMP even if you leave employment.

Thanks

Now I have to decide whether to hold of trying to concieve for a couple of months so if I do get the job I'll qualify for SMP...