Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

Reasons for not getting SMP

The following are all reasons why you might not be able to get SMP:

you do not have an employer or
you are exclusively self-employed or
you were not employed in the qualifying week and could not be treated as employed in the qualifying week on the grounds that you had already had your baby or
you do not satisfy the continuous employment rule or
you do not satisfy the earnings rule or
you failed to give your employer due notice of the start of your maternity absence or
you did not provide medical evidence of your expected week of childbirth (and of the childbirth itself if this was earlier than expected) within the time allowed or
your baby is stillborn before the 24th week of pregnancy
your employer is not liable to pay the employer’s share of Class 1 NI contributions or
you are employed by an employer in the UK against whom the NI scheme is not enforceable (for example, you work in an embassy or consulate) or
you are a mariner on a foreign-going vessel or a deep sea fishing vessel or
you were in legal custody at any time within the first week of your maternity pay period. Your employer will not pay SMP to you at all.