I am on a fixed term contract due to expire on 31st March unless further funding is found, so face the possibility of being made redundant. I have been on rolling fixed term contracts since March 2003 so I think I am entitled to a redundancy payment.

However my question is particularly to do with pregnancy and maternity pay. I am due to have a baby on 21st June. If I am still employed I intend to start maternity leave at the end of May. My employer also offers more beneficial payment terms than the statutory maternity pay allowance.

If my contract ends in March would I still be able to claim the maternity pay from my employer (as I think I would have been "employed by the same employer without a break for at least 26 weeks into the 15th week before the week your baby is due" - details from directgov website), or would I have to settle for claiming Maternity Allowance instead as I would be currently unemployed?

I think my employer would think that as my contract and funding has ended they would not have to pay me, but I thought I read somewhere that they can claim the money back from the inland revenue (it is a small staff on the payroll). I hope this makes sense and you are able to give me some guidance.