Statutory Maternity Pay

[beverleymot]

My friend is a childminder/ nanny for a family and she does 10 hrs a day 5 days a week looking after 3 children.

She has just been told by her employer that she has to claim her maternity pay through the government, because she is the only person employed by them.

Is this right? surely as her employer they have a duty to pay her, whether or not she is the only person employed. She has been there for the appropriate length of time ( ie: 26 weeks minimum) .

[Fay Mousse]

Her employer should pay it:

http://www.nannytax.co.uk/parents/faqs.html

[jedimistress]

50 hours a week takes her wage up to a level where she pays full NI contributions and if she has woked long enough, is entitled to SMP.

The government pays it to the employer, so they are the ones who have to pay her the SMP, but are in turn reimbursed by the government (us).

Please see the ACAS website, or Directgov website and they have full details.

[beverleymot]

Thanks!!