Maternity pay

Huxley71

This is a bit of a complicated one, so I'd be massively grateful if anyone can help, or point me in the direction of an organisation who might be able to! 

My dd (who lives with me) is 28 weeks pregnant. She's on a zero hour contract, but has consistently been working an average of 35ish hours per week.

She found out last week that the guy who runs the business plans to leave at the beginning of February, with the business - a bar - being "looked after" by another one run by the same brewery, but on very reduced hours, obviously meaning her hours will be drastically cut.

I understand her maternity pay would be based on these hours, but will a new landlord have to honour it? And if her hours are vastly reduced can she claim UC to top up her income even if she is living with me? I'm in receipt of tax credits for her younger brother if it makes a difference...

Panicking somewhat at the prospect of essentially needing to bankroll her and the baby when my own finances are already very stretched!

Spoonie_Turtle

I can't help re: maternity pay but yes she can claim UC in her own right.   Any entitlement will depend on her wages and what maternity pay she receives.  Once baby is born she'll get the child element and the work allowance (an amount of earnings disregarded before they start taking deductions).

chrisbur

Broadly speaking the rate at which SMP is paid is based on earnings over the eight week period up to and including the qualifying week, which is 15 weeks before the expected date of childbirth as given on the MATB1 certificate.  
Has the MATB1 certificate been given to the employer?

EDIT
Details of when to advise employer etc are given here....
https://www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/how-to-claim

Huxley71

Thank you both for your replies, that's really helpful to know.

And yes @chrisbur she handed in her MATB1 form before Christmas.

chrisbur

Huxley71 said:

Thank you both for your replies, that's really helpful to know.

And yes @chrisbur she handed in her MATB1 form before Christmas.

The employer should then reply ....
"Your employer must confirm within 28 days how much SMP you’ll get and when it will start and stop."
Hopefully this reply will show if they are doing the SMP correctly.