Help with maternity pay and problems

Miamaia

Hi there, am in a state of utter confusion with this, have searched high and low for answers and cant find any!
Basically my situation is im on maternity leave from my job, I have also taken additional unpaid maternity leave of 3 months which starts this month as i recently lost my mother and nursed her, end of life care untill her passing, have only recently began to grieve for her so decided to take this extra leave, upon which i know realise i am 2/3 months pregnant again, 7 months into my maternity leave and right at the start of me getting no money atall for 3 months! I work with challenging behaviours and my job is extremely risky for a pregnant lady but with risk assessments in place etc i managed it last time. I know the company will not pay me maternity leave again as they demand a year inbetween the leave. I know in order also to qualify for mat leave i have to return to work, but obviously that does not mean the company will pay me, now my concern is, i amm not entitled to working tax credits so currently am only get CB of 80 a month.
Where do i stand being pregnant whilst on maternity leave if i hand my notice in for this job, would i be entitled to benefit?
If i dont hand my notice in how long do i need to work to be entitled to gov maternity leave? as obviously by the time i go back i will already be 5-6 months pregnant.
Basically what is my best financial option for me and my children?
I am very concerned about this as im also full time carer for my father since my mums passing and he is on higher rate disability benefits.
If i were to move in with him i know this would affect his council tax single occupancy reduction, But also would it affect his council tax completely? If i was still classed as employed and living here.
I am in a right mess and no1 wants to tell me anything!
Please help!
Miamaia xx

skintchick

Does your partner have any income? Just to get a full picture of your finances and possible solutions.

Triangle

I became pregnant again whilst on maternity leave and found this link very helpful:
http://www.maternityaction.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/pregnantonmaternityleave.pdf

Miamaia

Hiya skintchick and yes he currently works and is on annual 25000, but starts new job in sept on 16750 a year.
awww congrats Triangle!!! I have looked through most sites on internet i think the issue here is the fact ive fallen whilst on unpaid additional maternity leave so as usual in my life, nothings simple hahaha!!!
Thanks for your time on this guys i really appreciate it

skintchick

I can't really help on maternity pay as I was made redundant when in my first trimester so just had the Government money but have you considered not going back? That's why I asked about your partner. Could you just be at home? Cos two so close together will be a lot in childcare.

Kayalana99

Miamaia wrote: »

Hiya skintchick and yes he currently works and is on annual 25000, but starts new job in sept on 16750 a year.
awww congrats Triangle!!! I have looked through most sites on internet i think the issue here is the fact ive fallen whilst on unpaid additional maternity leave so as usual in my life, nothings simple hahaha!!!
Thanks for your time on this guys i really appreciate it

Thiers no problem.

Your entitled to maternity pay regardless of how close they are together..you could have 9 kids in a row and they would have to pay it.

Its illegal for them to not pay you maternity leave unless they have a vaild reason (i.e like you havn't worked thier long enough)

Miamaia

Hiya Kaya, It's part of my companys policys and procedures and written into contract, if there is less than 12 months between the mat pay leave period, they dont have to pay and instead i have to apply for gov leave, but problem there is i have to work 15 weeks for entitlement and by time i go bk i already be 6-7 months pregnant. Were not entitled so far apparently to any working tax credit or child tax credit and because my partner works would i still be entitled to any social benefits?
This is a true nightmare for me i tell you, no1 seems to be clear on what your supposed to do in this situation!!
And as for me not earning atall, I dont think we could survive on wages my aprtner gets, esp not as they go down in sept by nearly 10G a year!

skintchick

Would he reconsider the job move? Seems crazy to go down to such a low wage voluntarily especially with two children to look after. What's his thinking behind that?

If it were possible, would you like to stay at home?

notanewuser

Okay. First off your company cannot override the government on SMP. They can do what they like in terms of occupational maternity pay(OMP). They can require you to repay any OMP if you don't return to work. They cannot reclaim any SMP.

If not eligible for SMP then you may be entitled to maternity allowance (MA). This is the same rate as weekly SMP but you don't get the 90% in the beginning.

Why on earth your partner is taking a 20% pay cut when you're about to have not one but 2 small children is beyond me. He needs not to do that!!

Miamaia

Hi skint, yes i would like to be at home, but a little into my situation, my mum passed away and im also fulltime carer for my dad, with a 6 month old and another on the way, the idea behind the pay drop is its also a drop in hours, and im assuming tho i know thats dangerous that should be made up in working tax credits? Or is that not likely.
Hi notanewuser, So if i were not to return to work, would what ive been paid have to be given back all at once?
Also if i dont return to work inbetween babys would i still be entitled to maternity pay from government? Or not as i havent gone bk to work? If i were to return to work for the few months i possibly could whilst pregnant and not hand my notice in, is that the only way im guarnteed smp? Because if i return to work when im due back after unpaid leave i will be 6-7 months pregnant.
Ideally I'd rather not go bk to that job as i say its violent and challenging and im in senior position there.
I would ideally like for us both to work part time, a few days a week, and be able to survive on tax credits alongside that but this seems unlikely huh?
I really dont know what my best options are im utterly confuzzled!!

notanewuser

This is why midwives and health visitors bang on about comtraception from the minute your first baby arrives.

Yes, your employer can demand return of occupational mat pay back in one go. Did you take your annual leave before having baby 1? If not then you'll have some owing to you. That may well be wiped out by you owing them mat pay back though. You need to find out how long they require you to return for in order not to pay it back.

For maternity allowance (around £130 a week) you need to have worked 26 weeks in the 66 weeks prior to baby number 2's due date.

For tax credits you deduct £100 per week maternity pay from your combined annual income, and its based on the previous year. DH and I don't qualify for any, but you can check your entitlement at entitledto.com I think.

I must say, while its a lovely idea to both work part time it's not really on to expect the state to fund that choice. The government is cutting benefits, so you may find that this plan is a very bad idea. Can your partner stay as he is? Can your dad get someone else to be his carer?