maternity benefits - the latest I have learned

I'm actually in a very similar situation.  Except that I became pregnant 2 weeks after starting my job.  I just barely qualify for SMP.  From what I understand anyone as long as they have been working continuously for 26 weeks before the 15th week before EWC will qualify for SMP.   

6 weeks @ 90% of full pay
20 weeks @ flat rate SMP
unpaid leave of up to 26 weeks

Also if your contract runs out while still out on maternity leave then they must extend the contract until the 26 weeks are up. This works out for me because my contract runs out 1/2 way through my leave.  I'm not sure if I've given you info you already had, hope this helps.

I have a question about maternity I'm hoping you gals will be able to answer:

I know that maternity leave is extending in April from 26 weeks to 39 weeks. What I want to know is if anyone knows whether it's from 1st April or 30th April.

I'm not pregnant but it's on the cards for us and I'd like to know if I should wait a bit longer to get the extra benefits.

Hooray, nevermind, I've found a link which explains it.

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/ruDetail?r.l3=1074045869&r.l2=1073858926&r.l1=1073858787&type=REGUPDATE&topicType=1&itemId=1077923716

If anyone is interested.

Thanks Ashley it's good to stay up to date on these things.   Look forward to hearing exciting news from you in the not too distant future. 

This thread should probably be updated as it is a "stickied" thread, as there are changes now for babies born after the 1st of April 07. The Business link website will have the updated info. But the big changes are that people are entitled to 39 weeks of SMP now and I believe the weekly pay has gone up to £110.  Also, earlier in this thread someone mentioned that you have to have worked for 26 weeks by 11 weeks prior to your due date. It is actually that you have to have worked 26 weeks by 15 weeks prior to the week of your due date. 

This thread should probably be updated as it is a "stickied" thread, as there are changes now for babies born after the 1st of April 07. The Business link website will have the updated info. But the big changes are that people are entitled to 39 weeks of SMP now and I believe the weekly pay has gone up to £110.  Also, earlier in this thread someone mentioned that you have to have worked for 26 weeks by 11 weeks prior to your due date. It is actually that you have to have worked 26 weeks by 15 weeks prior to the week of your due date. 

is there a website, other than the business link website, that has the updated info for employees (rather than employers)?

Niku, check Tiger  or Acas.

http://www.tiger.gov.uk/

There's a helpful Q&A summary of the current law here:

http://money.guardian.co.uk/workingparents/story/0,,1796663,00.html

There's a helpful Q&A summary of the current law here:

http://money.guardian.co.uk/workingparents/story/0,,1796663,00.html

that's exactly what i needed--thanks! 

Here's a question I have been asked by someone on another forum.

A girl is in the UK on a working holidaymaker visa, and she is pregnant.  She is due to go off for maternity leave at the same time her 12 month limit on employment is up. Is she entitled to maternity leave even though under immigration law she would have to give up work anyway?

If anyone has any thoughts I'd love to know, as I'm stumped.

Thanks,

Vicky

I am pretty sure you only qualify for maternity leave/statutory maternity pay if you are on ILR or a UK citizen. Is she from a Commonwealth country? If so, maybe there is a reciprocal arrangement that would entitle her to something.

Maternity benefit is a contributory benefit, so if she were here as the spouse of a UK national I know she would qualify.

It's the working restriction element that I am unsure about.

Vicky

Well if she has an appropriate visa that will allow her to return to the job at the end of the maternity leave (sounds like she might have if she is married to a UK national) then I would say yes they are obliged to grant the leave and hold the job open. If her visa status is in question, it might be a different matter, because the employer will argue why should they hold open her job if she isn't going to be able to return to it anyway? I suppose you can argue that by the end of her maternity leave she may well have her visa status sorted out.

Looking at it from another angle, I am guessing she is on a fixed term or temporary contract, in which case she is probably in the same position as anyone else on that kind of contract who is pregnant. (Can't say off the top of my head what exactly that would be, but should be pretty easy to find out - most likely they don't have to hold the job open).

This is the thing.  The working holidaymaker visa means she can only work for 12 months in 24, so she is no longer legally entitled to work...I can't see that she would be allowed to get maternity benefits then.

However, as you say, she is on a normal contract.

Ah well, I've told her my opinion and directed her to the DWP...they are bound to know 

Vicky

By the time DWP makes a decision she will have been here long enough to get ILR anyway!! Be interesting to know what they say.