Statutory Maternity Pay

What is it?

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid to a pregnant woman by her employer. It can be paid for up to 39 weeks.

You can get it if you were:

* Employed by your present employer in the 15th week before the week your baby is due.
* Employed by that employer without a break for at least 26 weeks into the 15th week before your baby is due.
* Earning enough on average (£90 a week from April 2008) to be relevant for National Insurance (NI) purposes? (This is lower than the amount when you have to start paying NI contributions.)

If YES to all, claim SMP.

You can choose when to start getting your SMP. The earliest you can start getting SMP is in the 11th week before the week your baby is due. The latest you can start getting SMP is in the week after your baby is born.

Your employer cannot pay you SMP for any week in which you work for them.

If you have more than one job, you may be able to get SMP from each employer.

If you cannot get SMP but you have recently been employed or self-employed, you may be able to get Maternity Allowance.

Amounts

If your average gross earnings are £90 a week or more:

Higher rate 90% of your average earnings for 6 weeks

Lower rate £117.18 for up to 33 weeks

To claim, you must tell your employer at least 4 weeks before you intend to stop work. When you get your maternity certificate (form MAT B1) from your doctor or midwife, give it to your employer. Do not delay, as you may lose benefit.


Others

Incapacity Benefit
Income Support
Maternity Allowance
Maternity Grant
Statutory Adoption Pay
Statutory Paternity Pay
Statutory Sick Pay

DISCLAIMER - Although every effort is made to ensure the information on these pages is accurate and up to date, we cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies and their consequences. The information should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law. If you wish to know more about your benefit rights, you should seek independent advice.