Statutory maternity ay is what you get paid from your employer. If you are not entitled to payment from your employer (this is usually the case if you were pregnant before you started working for them), you will get Maternity Allowance from the Department of Work and Pensions.
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid at 90% of your earnings for the first six weeks followed by a flat rate, which is increased by a few pounds every tax year. In 2009/10 the flat rate is ?123.06. If you earn below the Lower Earnings Limit during the calculation period that determines how much maternity pay you get, then you are entitled to receive 90% of this as the flat rate.
Some employers give employees more money for their maternity leave ? this is a bonus, but byyou?re your employer only has to pay you the statutory minimum.
Statutory Maternity Pay is paid for the first 39 weeks of maternity leave, so the flat rate mentioned above will be payable for 33 weeks unless your employer offers something better than this.