What if I want to spread my payments over the maternity period?

For budgeting reasons, you may choose to spread your payments over your maternity period so that instead of receiving 8 weeks full pay then 18 weeks half pay plus SMP and then the lower rate SMP, you get more of an equal weekly amount.

Only the OMP part of the payment can be split so the SMP will not be affected.  The 8 weeks’ full pay amount plus 18 weeks half pay amount will be added together and then divided over the 39 weeks.  During the first 6 weeks it will be added to the higher rate SMP (90% of salary) so these weeks will be slightly higher and then for the following 33 weeks it will be added to the lower SMP rate.