Maternity pay - incorrect calculation?

mademe

I have a job where I work random hours (my fixed hours are 12 per week, but I often work a lot more than that in overtime). I am now on maternity leave and I think I'm being underpaid my initial maternity pay but I'm not totally sure so hoping someone can check my figures?

My understanding is that I get 90% of the average weekly pay during a particular period before I went on maternity (which was 8 weeks long).

During this particular period I earned £4000 (with different amounts each fortnight as I am paid fortnightly). So in my calculation I divided £4000 by 8 weeks = £500 weekly.

Maternity pay for the first 6 weeks is 90% of my average earnings during this time, so 90% of £500 is £450. 

So my weekly average is £450 and as I get paid fortnightly, I think I should get £900 per fortnight before tax during the first 6 weeks of my maternity leave, but I'm only being paid around £500. 

Can anyone help as to whether my calculations are correct, or if I am getting it totally wrong, please could you tell me why? I have contacted my employer and they said they have corrected it but it still seems incorrect. Thanks!

LightFlare

have you 100% got the 8 week period correct ? 

Its usually weeks 17-25 of the pregnancy

mademe

I just filled in the government maternity pay calculator for employers and my average weekly earnings are £432.1890000 (I rounded up the figures in my original post so it was easier to read). My dates were a little out, I think due to having fortnightly pay, but I was earning a lot more than usual around those dates anyway as it's a busy time of year. I've printed the calculations and will email them to my employer.