Why was my SMP so low?

horseykitty

I hope someone can explain this to me.

My baby was due 4/5/08 - she did in fact arrive 9 days later. I work as a supply teacher and worked right up until a week before my due date - I started receiving SMP on 29/4/08 and it finished a couple of weeks ago. I would like to know why I received only £80 maternity pay, which together with some tax back made it up to just over £84 a week. It was nice to have and I'm missing it now it's stopped but why wasn't I entitled to the £117+ which is the normal amount. I earn £117 per day before deductions normally. I thought that SMP had to be at least the same amount as Maternity Allowance?

bigbill

The employer averages your weekly earnings for the previous 8 weeks earnings 15 weeks before the baby is due.

The more you earn the more you get, your average must have been about £96 weekly for that period.

alwaysonthego_2

bigbill wrote: »

The employer averages your weekly earnings for the previous 8 weeks earnings 15 weeks before the baby is due.

The more you earn the more you get, your average must have been about £96 weekly for that period.

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/employment/parental_rights_at_work.htm#maternity_pay

How much is SMP



For the first six weeks of maternity leave, SMP is paid at 90% of your average gross weekly earnings (that is, before tax and National Insurance contributions are deducted). For the remaining weeks, it is paid at 90% of your gross weekly earnings or £117.18 a week, whichever is lower.