Statutory Maternity Pay Question

Mummyto3boys_2

Hi everyone,

Just after a bit of advice please.

I finished work on the 2nd June and my baby was born on the 15th July, can anyone tell me how long I am entitled to receive SMP and when my last payment will be?
I was working 2 days per week and taking home £160 pw before tax.

From doing a search on the direct gov site it says that i am entitled to £144 for the first 6 weeks and then £124.88 for the next 33 weeks which is in total 39 weeks.

It says period of ordinary mat leave is 02 June 2010 to 30 November 2010 and thenperiod of additional mat leave is 01 December 2010 to 31 May 2011 - which is the bit i dont understand, do i still get SMP for the additional maternity leave and does that mean i dont have to return to work until end of May?

Thanks for any help

flashnazia

Mummyto3boys wrote: »

Hi everyone,



It says period of ordinary mat leave is 02 June 2010 to 30 November 2010 and thenperiod of additional mat leave is 01 December 2010 to 31 May 2011 - which is the bit i dont understand, do i still get SMP for the additional maternity leave and does that mean i dont have to return to work until end of May?

Thanks for any help

This is a bit complicated because the law was changed (in 2007 I believe).

Under the old regulations there was a six month period of Ordinary mat leave (OML) and then an additional period of leave (AML) for another six months.

The point of defining them separately was because not everybody was entitled to the Additional mat leave (you had to work for longer at your employment in order to qualify etc).

Another difference between them is that OML was paid at SMP levels and AML was not.

Now the law has changed so that SMP is paid for 39 weeks and every worker is entitled to OML and AML.

What this means is that you can have one year of leave but will only receive SMP for 39 weeks; 13 weeks of your leave is unpaid.