Maternity Rights for a contractor

**Lucifer Box** · 28 September 2005, 11:35

You will be given a comprehensive book all about it when your health visitor makes his/her first visit (about week 15-ish). In a nutshell, you have the same right to statutory maternity leave (6 weeks @ 90%, 12 weeks @ ca. £110/week, 8 weeks unpaid) as anybody else. It is, of course, your employer (your own ltd, umbrella, whoever that is), who pays the paid portion and reclaims that back off the government.

**KLM** · 28 September 2005, 11:48

Hi Lucifer,

Thanks for that! I shall wait for the book. I am a little out of my depth here - given that I won't be able to go back to work for a while I could do with some advice about how to approach the benefit system in general.

Thanks,
Karen

**Lucifer Box** · 28 September 2005, 11:58

Ante-natally speaking, it's the statutory maternity pay aspect (unless you are so impoverished you are claiming Working Tax Credit as well), but that will be administered by your umbrella as they are your employer. You are required to give 15 weeks notice of when you intend to start your maternity leave, but no idea how flexible your umbrella will be about that. You need to speak to them to make sure they know what to do and won't shirk their responsibilities.

As soon as your little bundle of joy arrives it's family allowance, child tax credit and this baby bond thing.

Oh, and don't forget to vote New Labour in gratitude;

Lucifer.

**threaded** · 28 September 2005, 13:14

I could do with some advice about how to approach the benefit system in general.

Much like when one has a rat cornered.

Maternity Rights for a contractor