How much time maternity leave lasts in the UK?

Maternity Allowance Eligibility?

• Dear Forum Members My wife was working for an employer and also she was self employed as well before she went to maternity leave, before going to maternity leave she resigned from employee job and continued working as welf employed for herself. She did not qualify to receive statory maternity pay because of short time with this employer, but qualified to receive Maternity Allowance, and currently taking maternity allowance. We recently discovered she is pregnant again, Does she need to qualify for employment and earning rule again to get the maternity allowance or her time being on maternity leave will count as being self employed as she earns (maternty allowance), as she fullfills the employment and earnings rule. please see the web link UNDER EMPLOYMENT RULE http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/specialist-guides/technical-guidance/ni17a-a-guide-to-maternity/maternity-allowance-ma/ Her maternity allowance will finish on 15 July 2011, and that is the date she wants to finish her maternity leave and go back to her self employment, and new baby expected date is 15 Jan 2012, Please advise, Regards

• Answer:

  This may be of help as according to DirectGov: If you're pregnant or have a new baby but don't qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) from any employer, you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance (MA) through Jobcentre Plus. You might get Maternity Allowance if: you're employed, but not eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay, you're registered self-employed and paying Class 2 National Insurance contributions (NICs), or hold a Small Earnings Exception certificate, you have very recently been employed or self-employed. You may be eligible if: you've been employed and/or self-employed for at least 26 weeks in your 'test period' (66 weeks up to and including the week before the week your baby is due) - part weeks count as full weeks, you earned £30 a week averaged over any 13 weeks in your test period. Earnings from your employment and earnings you are treated as having if you are self-employed are used to work out your Maternity Allowance. :)