bigbelly2

well, where do i start,

I am nearly 24 weeks pregnant and I am off sick with very high bp, have been since march the 10th, oh has been told hes going to be made redundant so i am panicking obviously....

I have been trying to work out my smp, if i qualify and how much i will get (i am in the uk)

I have rang the cab (who were as much use as rocking horse sh*t) i actually gave them info they didnt no, then rang job centre plus who told me to ring inland revenue, i rang them and they said to ring acas....

I would like to find out:
do i qualify for smp.....
i started work the 26th of october and my due date is 28th july, on the direct gov website http://tiger.direct.gov.uk/cgi-bin/maternity.cgi they say i do as long as i worked for them from october 27th, however on others it says that i have to be employed for 26 weeks prior to the 15th week the baby is due...so i have worked out its the 21st of october....however is this any time from the 21st to the 27th would qualify?

also....as i have been off for my calculating weeks of smp i am trying to work it out myself, the general rule looks like its 15weeks prior to due date, 8 weeks back from then thats the 8 weeks they calculate your average earnings from...i did this and got the 17th february to april 13th so i should qualify for the full £117.25 a week after the first 6 weeks then 90% of salary as thats lower than the smp as i was in work for feb and up until march the 10th...however...on the inland revenue for employers there is a smp calculator http://smpcalculator.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/SMP1.aspx

when i put my earnings in here they ask for the full 4 weeks of february and the full 4 weeks of march to calculate my earnings which is a lot better for the first 6 weeks..and then the last 33 weeks are the standard amount.....

i really think my head is going to explode....
i would appreciate if there is any one out there that knows how an employer does work this out and which one you think is correct? As, as far as I knew it was the inland revenue that sets the guidelines for smp and also they are the ones that pay the employer back te 104%

i have the added worry that as I am off sick, my employer has not made contact or confirmed within the set 28 days of me informing them my holiday/maternity dates...i wrote a letter to my md about 10 weeks ago saying i wished to take holiday from may 20 - june 12 (my entitlement i have left) and then maternity from june 13th but i have had no reply, should i write another letter to them? i know he will have had it as i gave it his pa (who is next door to my office)!!

im really sorry to bore you but if you could all give me your opinions and tell me how you worked your smp or ma out , if you are an empoyer who has had to go through this or work in any sector that knows id be really grateful....

a very stressed and confuzzled BIG BELLY lol

h x

alyxzandra

Is there a human resources department where you work? I am certain someone there would be able to answer this.

I would also write another letter to your MD. Can you send it via email and keep a copy of it?

bigbelly2

hi ya,

i only work for a small company so no hr dept, i have got another letter that i have managed to download from the direct gov webiste and im going to email it to him aswell as post it i think....

so frustrating!!

thanks for the reply though

h x

Sinead

I'm not very good with SMP, but if you don't qualify, then you could possibly get Maternity Allowance. Also when OH gets made redundant, he could apply for JSA (contribution based) for himself only. He has to have paid National Insurance contributions in the last 2 full tax years. They don't take into account any money you have coming in. Hope that helps a bit

bigbelly2

well ive now found out quite a lot of info re smp!!!

may help some of you girls if your in the uk?!!

you have to work for your employer for 26weeks by the 15th week your baby is due.....(if you go onto acas website, choose a-z then choose m for maternity youll see the tiger tool on the right, choose this and answer the questions) will ask when your baby is due, then say have you worked for your employer since.... will you work for them by ...... ask your average weekly earnings THIS IS WHERE IT BECOMES CONFUSING....*to work this out i went onto smp maternity pay calculator on the inland revenue site* you basically work out your 15th week...b4 due date and go to your 2 pay months prior..add them together and work out your average weekly earnings...then the tiger tool will tell you what you are entitled to, how much, how long for and also the dates that you can go on maternity, when you have to give notice and when your due back etc...

i THINK i understand it now lol

h x