Any HR/employment law types about?

As long as you have worked there for more than 26 weeks+ at the time of your EDD and have earned more than (I think this is the right figure) £95 per week, the law is that you would get SMP as you are being made redundant after the qualifying period, which is 15 weeks before your EDD. And you'll need to let them know at your consultation meeting that you want SMP as they need 28 days notice. Have you given your employer your MAT1 form? If not, do so as they'll need that in order to pay you.

Sorry to hear you're losing your job - we're going through consultation at the moment and it's very stressful.

Mrsw, would it not be maternity allowance rather than smp?

Not MrsW obviously, but it would be SMP paid by the company as opposed to MA paid by the benefits office.

Really? even though she s being made redundant? i asked because i wasnt sure, but i did think it would be MA

If you are still employed by the company in the 15th week before your due date, then you qualify for SMP, even if you are subsequently made redundant.

I was made redundant when i was about 5/6 months and received all my maternity pay in a lump sum. I also had the option of a monthly payment but decided against that.

Had the company been unable to pay me then I could have applied for MA for the whole period and the government would have payed me directly.

But this was 2 years ago so things could have changed.

Ok have just checked, mrsw is right, its smp

I do know what I'm talking about you know ?

Mrs W is entirely right as SMP entitlement arises by virtue of you being employed during the qualifying period not at the date you go on maternity leave. Good luck with your meeting.

Thank you everybody for your replies, it sounds good for me then - H has also been to the CAB this morning and they are doing a bit more research for him but they seem to think pretty much the same thing.