Still on maternity leave. Pregnant again. Will I qualify for SMP again?

[Blimeyoriley]

I can't seem to find any info on this elsewhere so am turning to any experts out there on mumsnet!

I've just returned to work after 48 weeks mat leave. I am pregnant again and due in October 2010. I am confused as to whether I will receive SMP again so soon as the literature I've read states that I must have been working for 26 weeks, at 15 weeks before baby is due, for the employer and earning enough to pay national insurance contributions. So I have had 9 weeks of unpaid mat leave. I will only have been working (and being paid for) 14 weeks before the 15th week before baby is due.

I have arranged to pay the national insurance contributions that I will have missed during the 9 weeks of no pay. Not sure if this will make a difference.

I haven't yet told work that I'm pregnant, hence not being able to ring my HR dept.

Hopefully someone out there will have some advice?

Thanks

Your previous maternity leave still counts as employment, so you will certainly have been employed long enough, yes. It doesn't make any difference that you were on maternity leave for some of it.

Thanks flowerybeanbag.

Just had a moment of panic!

You might also want to check your maternity leave policy - some state you have to be back at work for a specific amount of time to qualify for any enhanced benefits that might apply. However, as flowery said, that won't affect your right to statutory maternity pay, nor your right to have a job held open for you.

Congratulations, by the way. You've done exactly what I plan on doing - getting pregnant before the end of my current maternity leave.