SMP and redundancy

basiaf27

Hi, i really need some advise on this... I am 17 weeks pregnant, my due date is end of December. I just found out from my employer that the company is closing at the end of December and all of us will loose our jobs... I was planning to start my maternity from 20th of December so in January I can still get 90% salary payment in form of SMP. If the company closes, what will happen to my SMP? Who will be paying that? Where do I have to go and what papers will I need?
Thank you for all advice in advance!

LittleVoice

If the company is insolvent then, taken from the DirectGov website

If your employer does not pay you SMP because they are insolvent, payment will be made by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). They will only do this when your employer has been formally declared insolvent. HMRC will take over the payment from and including the week of insolvency. Any payments before that date must be paid by your employer.
If your employer is insolvent, you should telephone the Statutory Payments Disputes Team on 0191 225 5221. They will need to know:

• your name and address
• the date your employer became insolvent
• details from your payslips of any payments received and the period covered by the last payment
• the date the statutory maternity payment ends or the date you intend to go back to work

You may also be asked to provide some of this information in writing.

If they are not insolvent, then the company should still pay you.

[Deleted User]

You could request all your SMP in a lump sum when you leave in December :-) They will probably do this unless they are insolvent and can't afford to pay it but even so, they can put in for advance funding from HMRC to pay this. In my experience as a Payroll Officer and sometimes delaing with this usuallly all or the remainder is paid as a lump sum because it's so much easier for them with the whole winding up process

basiaf27

Thank you for your replies. It looks like the company will be solvent, but closing down as it does not meet its budgets etc. In any case how soon can the company apply for advance funding from HMRC if first maternity pay would start from end of December 10? How long is the whole process going to take?

[Deleted User]

You should ask your Employer to contact the Employers Helpline 08457 143 143, I believe they can apply for the funding 15 weeks before your due date as by rights you can be paid SMP from week 29 of your pregnancy.