We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.

This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
The Forum now has a brand new text editor, adding a bunch of handy features to use when creating posts. Read more in our how-to guide

SMP ends, still employed but not paid, what does one live on?

24

Comments

  • pinkpig08
    pinkpig08 Posts: 2,829 Forumite
    I had my childminder sorted out before I went on maternity leave. Did your friend always know she would return to work? Could she have sorted a nursery place out sooner?
    Sealed Pot Challenge #817 £50 banked :)
  • Alleycat
    Alleycat Posts: 4,601 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Would your friend be able to find a childminder for the gap between going back to work and the nursery place?
    "I've fallen down a hole" - said in best Monty Python voice-over.
  • DaisyFlower
    DaisyFlower Posts: 2,677 Forumite
    Giving up a job for the sake of a few months is simply daft. The nursery may be able to simply move the place forward or a childminder/family may be able to fill the gap. Unless the nursery is over-subscribed they should easily be able to move the date.

    SMP is quite clear re length of payments. Did she not think of finances before planning the baby? If she wanted to take the full year off then financial provision could have been made whilst trying to conceive, whilst working through pregnancy and then after if need be.
  • Floxxie
    Floxxie Posts: 2,853 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    As she has claimed SMP she can do self-employed work e.g. mystery shopping. Also suggest she gets into eBaying etc.

    Take a look at www.directgov.co.uk for details of alternative childcare e.g. childminders especially on the cost side.
    Mortgage start September 2015 £90000 MFiT #06
  • karenx
    karenx Posts: 4,988 Forumite
    it really would be a shame if she resigned, relying on benefits isn't easy but unfortunatly the last 13 weeks of maternity leave is unpaid. And as she is still employed she couldn't claim IS or JSA.
    Get her to try find a childminder for a few months as a short term solution, or use family and her partner to look after the baby and she could go back to work part time
  • dookar
    dookar Posts: 1,654 Forumite
    The exclusion regarding employment is the remunerative work exclusion isn't it?

    And a person on maternity leave is not in remunerative work...
  • thorsoak
    thorsoak Posts: 7,166 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If she resigned from her job would she not be sanctioned from being awarded JSA? Or do different rules apply at the end of a maternity break?
  • dookar
    dookar Posts: 1,654 Forumite
    thorsoak wrote: »
    If she resigned from her job would she not be sanctioned from being awarded JSA? Or do different rules apply at the end of a maternity break?
    Potentially, depending on Just Cause (argh memory's failing me does neglect to avail require just cause:confused:) etc.

    For income support it wouldn't matter.
  • merlin68
    merlin68 Posts: 2,405 Forumite
    If she resigned could'nt she claim income support as a lone parent.
  • iamana1ias
    iamana1ias Posts: 3,777 Forumite
    merlin68 wrote: »
    If she resigned could'nt she claim income support as a lone parent.

    I bet she would say she was ;)
    I was born too late, into a world that doesn't care
    Oh I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers in my hair
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 354.3K Banking & Borrowing
  • 254.4K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 455.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 247.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 603.9K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 178.4K Life & Family
  • 261.4K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.7K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.