Statutory maternity pay through an umbrella - definition of "consecutive"

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

Thanks Lisa, the clarification is helpful. I will tell my umbrella company this.

No problem

[UnknownPerson]

Thanks Lisa, the clarification is helpful. I will tell my umbrella company this.

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

The continuity of employment refers to the employment contract that you have with the umbrella company not to individual assignments so if you have been employed by the umbrella company for 26 weeks or more you will be entitled to SMP

[UnknownPerson]

Hi,

I'm female and thinking about what the consequences of getting pregnant would be on my finances (amongst other things!).

I get paid through an umbrella company so I am classed as an employee of the umbrella company and therefore I'm eligible for statutory maternity pay through them. I've asked the umbrella company about this and they said that I must have "earnings for 26 weeks consecutively" to get SMP. My question is - what does this mean in reality? If my current contract with one client ended, I had a week or so not earning and looking for a new contract, then got a new contract does this reset the counter of consecutive weeks so I'm no longer eligible? This does not seem fair somehow because as a contract workers we are likely to swap clients frequently, possibly with gaps in earnings, so I wondered if my umbrella company had got this right? Has anyone had any experience in getting SMP through an umbrella and what happens if you have a gap in earnings?

Thanks