Statutory Maternity Allowance (Self-employed mum) Question

[craigxxlMember]

Date of starting back at work.

[shadthebadMember]

Up to 39 weeks from date of first claim. More info here.

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/work_e/work_rights_at_work_e/parental_rights_at_work.htm#Workerswhodonothaves

Edit: Not sure it answers your question though!

[deadlydarcyMember]

Eh? Two answers at either end of the possibilities there. 🙂

@shadthebad So, as a self-employed person that qualified for SMP in the first place, she’s entitled to it for 39 weeks whatever?

[shadthebadMember]

Sorry for the confusion, it would appear not many people want to go back to work early.

DWP say self employed work does not affect the SMP.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/specialist-guides/technical-guidance/ni17a-a-guide-to-maternity/statutory-maternity-pay-smp/working-in-your-maternity-pay/

[JunkyardMember]

If she is working then she is not on leave ? Is it not just this simple?

First time paid is the first time paid not the first time she worked

Can you milk the system to your advantage? I assume you can

I am not an accountant

[wallopSubscriber]

Can she not invoice for a “Keep in Touch Day”?

[deadlydarcyMember]

If she is working then she is not on leave ? Is it not just this simple?

That’s what I thought. I am however doing little sex wees at the thought of an extra £500 a month and sending her out to earn a crust. 😀

Can you milk the system to your advantage? I assume you can

I’d quite happily but she’s straight down the line JY. One of us has to be. 🙂

[shadthebadMember]

Have a look at the cheeky edit I did on my last post.

New bike, sir?

[deadlydarcyMember]

mrs deadly returning to work and has been on statutory maternity pay for a few months. At what point does this stop being paid? mrs deadly is a self-employed graphic designer and let’s say for argument’s sake, her main client pays approximately two months after her invoice.

Date starting back at work?
Date of first invoice?
Date first invoice paid?

(Sorry accountant not the fastest answering questions and mrs deadly fretting – and not having much luck negotiating the HMRC website. Me wandering around muttering “it’s only the taxman” isn’t helping 🙂 )

[oliverd1981Member]

Is there anything that says you have to take the 39 weeks all in one go? Or can you save a few weeks for fallow patches in the workload / going on holiday / genuinely needing some time with the baby?

[deadlydarcyMember]

*is confused*

From shadthebad’s link above, it says:

If you do any work in a self-employed capacity during your MPP, then such work will not affect your SMP.

But this page appears to be talking about wimminz on maternity leave and being paid SMP by their employer. Obviously mrs deadly is being paid SMP directly by whoever in the government pays. One assumes that an employer who’s paying SMP gets it from the government anyway?

So to me (but I accept this is because I want to believe the above), if mrs deadly is earning as a self-employed graphic designer, then she can go on claiming her SMP for the 39 week period. We’re entirely prepared to accept that if we can’t do this, then we can’t do it and that’s that. But just struggling to find an answer. Our accountant doesn’t know either 😡

Anybody in the daytime crowd have any idea?