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Redundancy/Maternity SMP payments

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Hi - wondering if anybody can advise.
I was made redundant 17th April and received all of my payments 25th April - including bulk SMP payments as I was 32 weeks pregnant. This line appears on my payslip as : Statutory Maternity @ £3730.86. As far as I am aware SMP payments should be tax free - if I had had these payments monthly while employed, I would not have paid tax on them? However in my final pay - I have paid tax on the £3730.86.


Am I correct? I have spoken with my ex employer and they are shrugging their shoulders about the situation. How can I retrieve the tax? Has anybody got any experience of this?


Thanks

Comments

  • purdyoaten
    purdyoaten Posts: 1,159 Forumite
    sophiasmum wrote: »
    Hi - wondering if anybody can advise.
    I was made redundant 17th April and received all of my payments 25th April - including bulk SMP payments as I was 32 weeks pregnant. This line appears on my payslip as : Statutory Maternity @ £3730.86. As far as I am aware SMP payments should be tax free - if I had had these payments monthly while employed, I would not have paid tax on them? However in my final pay - I have paid tax on the £3730.86.


    Am I correct? I have spoken with my ex employer and they are shrugging their shoulders about the situation. How can I retrieve the tax? Has anybody got any experience of this?


    Thanks

    You are incorrect - statutory maternity pay is taxable income.

    http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/eimanual/eim76360.htm
    There are 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who do not. :doh:
  • getmore4less
    getmore4less Posts: 46,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've helped Parliament
    was it paid s week1/month 1 of the tax year.

    what was the total pay and tax on the P45

    as it was all paid in one lump it would be taxed, where it may have resulted in lower tax if paid monthly so you may be due some refund.

    You will need to review at end of tax year, or it might sort itself out if you get another job or claim JSA.

    JSA is also taxable.
  • sophiasmum
    sophiasmum Posts: 761 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks - yes was paid week1/month1 of tax year. P45 says Total pay = £15210.63 and Total Tax = £5342.36


    I don't intend to earn anything else this tax year....


    Thanks both for your help :)
  • chrisbur
    chrisbur Posts: 4,248 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    sophiasmum wrote: »
    Thanks - yes was paid week1/month1 of tax year. P45 says Total pay = £15210.63 and Total Tax = £5342.36


    I don't intend to earn anything else this tax year....


    Thanks both for your help :)

    If you will not be getting any taxable income for rest of this tax year then complete a P50 details here....
    http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pdfs/p50.pdf
    Remember to tick the last box at the end.
  • sophiasmum
    sophiasmum Posts: 761 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    Thanks Chrisbur :)
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