Maternity pay, im a bit confused.

[siouxie]

I currently work in an after school club its only 2 and a half hours a day and i get £100 a week. Im planning on going off as late as possible as i only work very few hours.

I would like to take the full year but i am a bit confused. I know you get so many months whole pay and so many half ect but how many of each, also when your maternity pay runs out is that it do you just not get any money or can you claim something form the government? I am still living with my parents who both work but don't support my financially, which means i don't get anything like milk tokens ect. So i dont know if this will exempt me from any other benefits once my maternity pay runs out. Does anybody have any advice or knowledge they can share pls

 

[jody1981]

Best thing to do is go onto the direct gov website it has all the info

I have just had my meeting with HR this morning and I was told for the first 6 weeks you get 90% of your average weekly pay and then you are entitled to 39 weeks SMP which is £135.45

Some companies are really good and pay you extra but mine give the bare minimum.

You also should get paid any holidays you dont take and what I did not realise is you can still accrue holidays while you are off.

I hope that helps but def check out the website.

 

[siouxie]

I have just checked on the direct gov website and as i dont earn over £107 a week i am not entitled to SMP and say i may be entitled to Maternity allowance. :/

 

[jody1981]

Hang on im gonna have a looksie.....

 

[siouxie]

Hi jody think u must have posted at the same time as me as i didnt see ur replie before. As i work in a school i dont accrue holiday as my holiday is the school holidays.

 

[jody1981]

OK wow its confusing! from the website you are entitled to MA (Maternity Alowance)

If you satisfy the employment rule and the earnings rule, you will be entitled to MA for a maximum period of 39 weeks.
The amount you get depends on your gross average weekly earnings. You will get the standard rate of MA, which is £135.45 a week (from 9 April 2012) or 90 per cent of your gross average weekly earnings, if this calculation results in a figure which is less than the standard rate of MA.
If you have paid Class 2 NI contributions at the end of each week in your 13 week earnings period, you will be treated as having enough earnings to receive standard rate MA.
If you hold a small earnings exception for at least 13 weeks in your test period and you have no other earnings you will be treated as having earnings of £30 a week (equal to the MAT) and receive a weekly rate of MA of £27.00 (90 per cent of the MAT).

From how I read it and I may be wrong, if you earn on average £100 a week you can have 90% of your earnings OR MA - whichever is lower so I THINK in your case you would qualify for 90% of your earnings which is £90 per week. You will also get child benefit on top of that which is £20.80 a week (if its your first child)

I would imagine you should be able to get help with milk tokens though unless your partner is on a high wage?

 

[siouxie]

Thanks i found the web site very confusing as well it makes a bit more sence the way u wrote it tho. My partner is on a low wage as well. But im 99.9% sure that im not entitled to milk tokens, sure start grant any of them as they take the house hold income as a figure not my income which sucks.

 

[jody1981]

Also check the healthy start website: http://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/
I think based on your earnings you may be able to claim milk tokens, you can do a quick tick sheet and it tells you if you qualify for anything.

 

[jody1981]

Double check from what I read you claim as a family which would be you and your OH and the baby not your folks x

 

[jody1981]

Just one other thing - Have a look at this website it is much simpler to understand than the direct gov one and gives you numbers etc to call

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/scotl...ople_s/benefits_for_families_and_children.htm

 

[Lolly85x]

You need to check your employers maternity policy, as it may be different.
I know I am basic. 6 weeks 90% then the renaming of the 33 weeks at SMP. The. The rest of the year is unpaid.xx