Can anyone help with my SMP allowance?

[Lulu1982]

I'm very confused!

I've been in my current job since January this year.

We have just found out we are expecting our first baby and I'm keen to get an understanding of how this works!

There is nothing in my contract about maternity allowance. I worl for a very small company and there is not chance they have given this any thought.

Can anyone give me an idiots guide to what I may be entitled to? By the time baby is due I will have been here for 14 months.

Thanks in advance ladies, finding it all a bit stressful!

 

[aimee-lou]

Basically - if your were employed by a company on the day you conceived, you are entitled to SMP/MA (dependent on a couple of things) - this is the equivilant of 90% of your pay or £124 per week, whichever is the smaller. This is for up to 39 weeks. You are entitled to take up to 52 weeks off (plus holiday that you would accrue in that time) but only 39 are paid in that time.

The details are all on direct.gov.uk and this gives you all the criteria.

Sounds to me that you will be entitled. Chances are if it's a small company, then they wont have an additional maternity pay scheme, but everyone is entitled to this as it's a government paid-for allowance/pay.

Congrats on your LO.

 

[Lulu1982]

Thank you very much!

I understand ... will start gearing myself up to sweet talk my boss ... or maybe his wife considering she is expecting too!x

 

[xxembobxx]

I worked for a small company which was male oriented so my boss didn't have a clue either. His wife was pregnant but as they were both directors different rules applied.
In the pack I got from my midwife there was a leaflet from BERR which detailed info and guidance and also had a tear off section to give to your employer.
You are entitled to paid time off for ante-natal appointments. Should you be entitled to SMP then your company should be able to claim 104.5% of this back if they pay less than £60k pa in NI contributions. If it's a small company with not many staff then they'll pay well below this figure.
HTH and congrats.

 

[xxembobxx]

There is a difference between statutory maternity pay (SMP) and maternity allowance (MA).

You should be entitled to SMP of you were working for your employer before you got pregnant. If you're not entitled to SMP though you will be entitled to MA. The weekly amount is the same apart from SMP pays you 90% of your wages for the first 6 weeks and MA is just a set amount (£124.88 currently I think)