Maternity pay

[k8bailey]

Wasn't sure where to ask this but I hope someone can help......
I currently work 14 hours a week earning aprox £91 per week, but paying around £70 per week nursery fees, so as you can see it a hobby rather than anything else. I am 17 weeks pregnant and have been told that I qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay from my employer, but Maternity Allowance (MA), which I claimed last time is higher.

1. Would I qualify for MA if I quit my job? - I can't afford to return to work after the baby is born anyway.
2. If yes, how long would I need to have been unemployed before baby's due date to qualify for MA? Don't know if it's relevant but if I quit, I wouldn't be eligible for job seekers allowance as I wouldn't be seeking a job, but our tax credits would (I think) go up enough to cover what I earn after paying nursery fees.

Hope all that makes sense!

[york310]

Would you need nursery fees if you weren't working?

[Buenchico]

There appears to be no minimum period of unemployment in order to qualify for MA. You simply need to have worked for at least 26 weeks out of the past 66 weeks, at an average of at least £30 per week.

See here:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk...a-guide-to-maternity/

Chris

[k8bailey]

I'm still confused....does that mean that because I qualify for SMP I can't get MA? or does it mean that if I quit my job before the 'qualify week' I would then get MA because I have worked at leat 26 weeks out of 66, and earn more than £30 a week?

No I won't be paying nursery fees when I leave work, so at least I'll be saving that money!