Self-publishing while receiving Maternity Allowance

[stepmummy]

HI there ladies,

I've been writing a book over the past few months and it should be ready for publication in mid-August. I'm going to publish it myself via Amazon's KDP program.

I'm receiving maternity allowance until the end of November but I don't want to delay publishing the book until then as it's a pretty timely title. If I were to publish it now, does anyone know whether this goes against the rules of MA?

Thanks for any help you can offer!

 

[My_First]

Technicially you 'shouldn't' be working at all while on MA accept for the 10 keep in touch days that you are allowed. So, I would think that publishing it, it should be fine. However if you started getting income from it, you will have to let them know.

 

[stepmummy]

That all makes sense. I was mostly wondering if I published the book and got paid 60 days after any sales (as Amazon runs things), if the date of payment is when my MA ends, would that be okay?

In other words, if I published the book in August, sold several copies and the payment for those sales was sent to me in October (after my MA has just ended), would I get in trouble because the actual sales were made during my MA?

I hope that makes sense - it's a bit complicated to explain!

 

[stepmummy]

Anybody able to help on this one? I know it's a bit random!

 

[My_First]

Anybody able to help on this one? I know it's a bit random!

I think your best bet would be to confirm with HMRC as it is so specific.

 

[frantastic20]

I believe that you are allowed to make self-employed income whilst on mat leave - I always thought not but I enquired recently about it and was directed here:

https://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications...ernity-pay-smp/working-in-your-maternity-pay/

That's about SMP rather than MA so I would definitely ask around.

 

[Pandora11]

If you self published/uploaded an ebook, you most probably wouldn't make any(much) money straight away so i don't see why it should effect anything. You'd have to be selling a substantial amount of copies and that is usually a gradual process.

are you on authonomy.com? if you join, there are people on the forums that would probably have a better idea

 

[stepmummy]

Thanks ladies, I have asked some other authors and they seem to think it's a no-no. Frustrating as the book is pretty much finished and I'd love to get it out there before anyone else does. I could always cut my MA short but I really can't afford it. I guess I'll just have to keep editing!

 

[stepmummy]

Oh I have emailed HMRC but they're steadfastly ignoring me grrrrr.

 

[MrsRH]

Oh I have emailed HMRC but they're steadfastly ignoring me grrrrr.

phone them directly.... you'll get a better answer (personal response rather than probably an automated one) and quicker

they have always been good on the phone with me

xxx