Made redundant whilst on Maternity

elizabethsmum2008

Hi

Can anyone help me?

Got a phone call today to say the company had gone into Administration, I am on Materinty Leave until next September 2009. What happens about SMP from the company? and Working Tax Credits?

Thanks

hitchins

elizabethsmum2008 wrote: »

Hi

Can anyone help me?

Got a phone call today to say the company had gone into Administration, I am on Materinty Leave until next September 2009. What happens about SMP from the company? and Working Tax Credits?

Thanks

Sorry to hear that. I had a similar problem. Was made redundant in May, whilst still on maternity leave. My useless HR Manager told me "once your employment ends so does your SMP".....anyway it was only up until a couple of weeks ago I came across this on directgov site:-

If you have the right to receive SMP, you'll get it even if you decide to leave your job (or are made redundant) before you start receiving SMP. Also once you start getting it, your employer must continue to pay SMP to you even if you leave your job or are made redundant. You don't have to repay it if you decide not to go back to work or leave your job whilst getting SMP. If you are employed you can choose when you want your SMP to start, this will normally coincide with your Ordinary Maternity Leave. Unless your baby is born sooner, the earliest SMP can start is 11 weeks before the week your baby is due.
Source: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/DG_10029290

So promptly wrote a letter and asked for the 11 weeks SMP owing, received it this week. :TI rang ACAS at the time too and they were unsure. But anyway there it is in black and white, so yep, you are entitled to you 39 weeks regardless.

As for WTC, you are only entiltled if your income is less that 17,000 PA, otherwise it's only Child Tax Credits, both (I think) are run from April to April, so it may be worth visiting entiltledto.co.uk just to check.

elizabethsmum2008

I receive Working Tax Credits, does it stop now or when i finish maternity leave if i dont find another job straight away?

Thanks

hitchins

elizabethsmum2008 wrote: »

I receive Working Tax Credits, does it stop now or when i finish maternity leave if i dont find another job straight away?

Thanks

Hmmm I wouldn't like to say, don't take my advice as gospel but you might be better waiting till you get your new entitlement notice in the new year which will give you an option to tell them of changes (i.e. if you are out of work still or if you have new employment). Again, I'm not sure, so hopefully someone will come along who can advise you better on that score. x

chriiiiiiiis

hitchins wrote: »

...don't take my advice as gospel but you might be better waiting till you get your new entitlement notice in the new year which will give you an option to tell them of changes...

Next time you have to inform Tax Credits of a change that you know will cause your entitlement to decrease... don't do it. Leave it for a year and then decide to tell them.

Then come back here and we'll tell you how your overpayment happened.