Coming to end of paid mat leave and no job to go back to

[Helspopje]

I was previously on a temporary contract but the end date was late enough that I was still entitled to occupational mat pay (NHS). I am about to transit from the SMP only to unpaid bit of mat leave and my contract (which was extended to afford me 1yr mat leave as per national guidance) is up in about 3 months. Other than madly look around for another job, is there anything I could/should be doing.

I'm in a very unusual bit of the NHS with few jobs that I am eligible to apply for so something coming up near enough to me to apply for is unlikely (but I'm still hopeful). I'm a consulatnat so I've been lucky enough to save up for this eventuality, but looking down the barrel of not working at all after all the time, effort and energy invested in getting this far is really getting me down (and a bloody waste from a taxpayer investment POV)

My mum thinks that I need to sign on and said she did that 'to protect her stamp' which I think was something about pensions.

Any ideas?

[Phineyj]

Locum work?

[stargirl1701]

Your pension credits will be protected if you are the named Child Benefit claimant.

[Helspopje]

Unf no child benefit as wasnt entitled to it previously and still wont be based on DHs salary. May have to ask him to consider us taking it then paying it back through his tax return.

Not in a particularly locum-able specialty (not acute/emergency med or gen surg) but am registered with everyone. Most trusts do LT NHS locums through the BMJ/NHS jobs for my specialty. I had a vision of a jobcetre person's face when I said what sort of work I was looking for.

[StrictlySazz]

You can still register for CB but not have it paid. Sorry, no idea about NHS jobs but good luck!

[StrictlySazz]

Child benefit info. You register but stop payments - the 'effect on Child benefit' sections sets out how it protects your pension rights

[Helspopje]

good stuff- will get onto that then.
we stopped my daughter's CB but never bothered registering our son.

[stargirl1701]

I claim it and DH pays the extra tax. I didn't believe HMRC when they said you would get the credit anyway. I believe if you register for it and don't claim the money you still get the credit.

Tbh, we decided to claim to add to the administrative burden of delivering this half baked scheme. If it becomes to expensive to administer they may abandon it. We feel if we are to be counted as a household for CB we should be counted as a household for personal allowance.

[stargirl1701]

*too expensive

[ACS1980]

Have you taken the AL you've accrued whilst on maternity leave or did you take everything before your mat leave started?

[Helspopje]

I haven't taken the AL so apparently will be paid 32 days worth at the end of the 52 weeks. I already asked, but they said I can't rejoin payroll for 6 and a bit weeks instead. Apparently the concern is that you could be declared on sick leave/another mat leave/whatever and they would be liable if still an amployee iyswim.
That cash should last a while but I will lose continuous service (have been working in the nash since late 90s) if I don't get another NHS job by 3 months post P45.

[ACS1980]

For AfC staff for sick pay and redundancy breaks of less than 12 months the previous service is still classed as reckonable service, it's only for maternity pay anything more than three months counts as a break. I don't look after medical staff so you might want to check with your medical HR dept., but generally speaking the entitlements are pretty similar.

[Helspopje]

interesting, so if (hypothetically of course) I did indeed aim for a further mat leave, what would happen if I'd been off for >3 months since P45 but less than 12?
Do I need to build up mat leave entitlement from scratch? is it 12 months completed by week 29 of pregnancy?

[ACS1980]

Yes, you'd need 12 months continuous service at the 11th week before the EWC.