I am 15 weeks pregnant and have 2 jobs.

My main job as a learning support assistant in a school pays just under £16,000 per year before tax. I am entitled to 6 weeks maternity pay at 90% of my income and 50% for the next 12 weeks. The remaining 34 weeks will be at SMP rate I think.

My other job has flexible hours, I work as a personal assistant to a 12 year old with cerebral palsy in his home. I support him and his family at least one night a week, working 14 hour shifts, 8 of which are 'sleeping'. I sleep in the spare room with a monitor and get up when he wakes and needs something.

I love this job and want to continue with it after baby is born, especially as I work evenings, nights and sometimes weekends, all times when OH is free to look after baby. Also the work is flexible, I can do more/less when needed. I'd have to resign from my school job as it wouldn't be worth the childcare and also I want LO to be around us as much as possible.

My personal assistant post usually earns me around £400 per month. This will go up slightly when It becomes my main income due to tax. I don't know where I stand though in relation to maternity pay etc. The work has flexible hours and no set contracted hours. I work more in school holidays for example. I think it counts as casual work. I'm paid via the 'Direct payment scheme' where social services ascertain how much support a family/person needs and pay it to them to pay workers like me.

So I have 2 main questions really.

1) Could I work for the boy I support whilst on SMP from school?

2) How will tax credits/other benefits be affected by me working flexible hours?

Answer to question 1 is no, you can not receive SMP and work at the same time, it is there so that you can take maternity leave and not work to look after the baby.
I am not sure on 2, I believe benefits are calculated on previous years earnings however if you know they are going to be significantly different I am sure they will take this into account.
x

I agree with both answers!

tax credits are based on the previous years earnings but you will inform them of you change in earnings so they can recalculate it.

they will probably base your monthly benefit on you average income per month if you are working flexibly.

best to check with them as benefits are very individual ( and don't forget OH income too)
x

is you best option asking your school job for SMP only and resign after the 39 weeks paid mat leave (as you won't have to pay anything back) then make the personal assistent job your main job from then on??

x

you should check your smp entitlement with BOTH employers as you may be entitled to it from both, although the 2nd job pays less than smp you would only get a percentage if entitled, that would make up for only taking smp from employer x