Can you start a sole trader business when on materity?

Poshsalt

Hi, good morning!

If I start a nail salon 3 months into my materity, will I still get materity pay/benifits?

Or by opening another business does this terminate materity pay.

Thanks

unforeseen

No it doesn't 

Savvy_Sue

https://workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/what-work-can-you-do-during-maternity-adoption-parental-leave/#:~:text=If you are on maternity,your SMP/SAP/ShPP.&text=This is particularly so if,you did as an employee.

I always think it's worth having chapter and verse (plus I thought you couldn't, so that's me told!)

simplydevine05

Depends on your employment contract and the type of maternity pay you are receiving. It will affect tax credits and/or Universal Credit.

Chris_English

As an employer, I’m not sure how I’d feel about it if I were paying the full wage at the time.

My view could well be that I was paying to allow you to take time off to be with and care for a new baby, taking on a significant cost because it was the right thing to do for a new mother.

If it turned out that you decided that you had enough time to also run a business I’d wonder why you’d choose to do that rather than starting back working for me, if that was feasible.