Maternity Leave

I might be wrong but I do know the Maternity Allowance enititlement is based on National Insurance contributions, ie you are working or have been working recently,  so if you've paid NI you should be entitled to it. 

I thought it was based on NI contributions, too.

Yikes!  So that means that if I get pregnant shortly after arriving in England that I won't have any benefits at all, because I haven't been paying into the plan?  That's scary.

But I should still have whatever my employer provides, right?

Very confusing.

~Liza

Yikes!  So that means that if I get pregnant shortly after arriving in England that I won't have any benefits at all, because I haven't been paying into the plan?  That's scary.

But I should still have whatever my employer provides, right?

Very confusing.

~Liza

it means you may not get the £108/week if you're NI contributions are not great enough.  what your employer provides may compensate for this, as it may pay your full wage or a high percentage (80% or greater).

so yes, it would be most beneficial to determine what your employer provides and how it applies. 

I have a friend who is working in a contract situation and is essentially temping for a company. Would she be eligible for any Maternity benefits at all if she continued working on this basis or if she went on a freelance basis?


ALSO (sorry hehe)

Are maternity benefits based on the assumption that you are going back to the job you're getting them from? Let's say that someone *might* go back on a part-time basis (1 day a week) after her maternity leave is over, but certainly not as a full-time employee. I'm wondering the implications of this since maternity cover essentially holds your position for you? Is it just a matter of staying on good terms with your employer in case you want to return to the field/company?

Thanks!

edited to say that I found a really good link...

http://www.ivillage.co.uk/pregnancyandbaby/parent/workbaby/articles/0,,34_163111,00.html

It doesn't matter whether you are going back or not, you are still entitled to the Statutory Maternity Pay/maternity leave but if you employer offers anything additional to that, it might be conditional on your returning to work so you should check your contract of employment.

I don't think temps & freelancers can get SMP etc because they do not have an employer as such. But they would be entitled to Maternity Allowance. However, if your friend is here on a temporary visa (ie not a Brit or doesn't have  ILR) this might affect it as it is a benefit, it would pay for her to contact her local DSS and find out.

I don't think temps & freelancers can get SMP etc because they do not have an employer as such. But they would be entitled to Maternity Allowance. However, if your friend is here on a temporary visa (ie not a Brit or doesn't have  ILR) this might affect it as it is a benefit, it would pay for her to contact her local DSS and find out.

True.  Also, you cannot take on ANY paid work whilst on Maternity Allowance.  This came up on a British board for mums and an employment solicitor was kind enough to answer the question.