Jury service with 5 week old baby?

[kers]

Hi there
I have been summonsed for jury service on 11th Jan. I am expecting my first child on 23rd November. If baby is overdue will only be 5 weeks at time of jury service. I am planning to breastfeed and will be looking after the child full time. I deferred from jury service several years ago due to a booked and paid for holiday. As I understand it I can only defer once, so am wondering if I might be excused if I ask? If anyone has any experience of this please let me know. I guess my previous deferral complicates things somewhat but perhaps they make exceptions for mothers with such young babies?
Thanks in advance! x

[hufflebottom]

I defeated for a charity parachute jump then got my other call up with my due date. I phoned and explained they were very understanding and excused me I just had to send them an email with proof I just asked the midwife for another matb1 as I'd lost my original by then.

Just call them. The worst they will say is no.

I'm waiting for my next one which will probably arrive with this ones due date.

[hufflebottom]

Deferred. Gah fat fingers

[Tutu1000]

With a baby that small and breastfeeding they will let you defer again.

[Marilynsbigsister]

huffle , I have read your reply and am completely perplexed. Why would you deferring your charity parachute jump, which is a private pursuit entered into voluntarily with absolutely no obligation upon you to fulfil, have any bearing on someone who has been summoned for Jury service ? - which is a civil obligation with serious consequences if a person were not to attend without reason. The two scenarios are not even remotely comparable !

OP your recent birth (and breast feeding) at time of jury service is absolutely acceptable reason to defer again. Call the contact number on the letter and explain. You may have to get a copy of MatB1 from your midwife or a letter stating due date as proof.

[honeysucklejasmine]

Marilyn she means she deferred jury duty for the jump. Which are obviously acceptable reasons to which ever court called her up.

[hufflebottom]

I phoned them up and explained. I also told them that I would be more than willing to cancel the parachute jump. It took them some time to decide but they deferred it, more luck than judgement.

[hufflebottom]

I gave them the option as I wanted to both. I even offered to do mine a week later but they completely deferred it.

[Marilynsbigsister]

Doh ! . I read it as deferred parachute jump twice..as comparison for deferring jury duty. Will put on glasses and not skim read in a hazy fog. Apologies huffle .

[applecatchers36]

I differed recently because I was in the early stages of pregnancy & had bad morning sickness I think if you call them they will be reasonable/ understanding.

[hufflebottom]

It's fine. I do that. To be honest I was expecting them to say no. Has anyone ever been refused a deferral? I'm guessing it does happen.

[Bonywasawarriorwayayix]

I defered once due to a clash with colleagues holidays. I was called up when EBF tiny DS and just said I can't do it. It wasn't a problem.

[Pollyputhtekettleon]

I deferred twice already due to a due date and a breastfeeding new born. I'm expecting another letter any day and am due again in a week so will likely be breastfeeding a newborn again. I wish they'd just put me back in the full pool rather than deferring me for 10 mths AGAIN. I'd only been in the UK 4 mts when the first call up came.

[Karoleann]

I've deferred several times, I was on holiday the first time and then the following three I either had a very small baby or was heavily pregnant.

There were no problems at all with deferring.

[SirChenjin]

I deferred once in exactly the same situation - young breastfed baby. No problem at all.

[Haggisfish]

I was excused once because I was bf.

[KP86]

Quick question: if you have full time care for a toddler, and no easy alternatives unless DP/DH took leave from work, would that be a good enough excuse? Or are you expected to rustle up something?

[OurBlanche]

KP, you just explain and ask to defer. They may say OK, they may not. You can claim for any child care that is outside your usual arrangements
www.gov.uk/jury-service/what-you-can-claim

They say only once to dissuade people from trying for non reasons. My cousin has been called up 3 times and, like other posters, has been heavily pregnant or breastfeeding and deferral was OKd very swiftly.

[PennyHasNoSurname]

You would be expected to source childcare / have other half take leave. If you werent allowed to defer that is.

[KP86]

How fascinating (I'm a non-Brit) - it's a bit different in Australia.

Do they ask people on settlement visas to participate, or just citizens (which DH is)/permanent residents?

In Australia, most employers will continue to pay your normal wage while on jury duty and anything you get from the courts is paid back to them. We get a daily allowance, but, like here it wouldn't cover ALL costs.

Another question: if the main earner was called up and them missing work would mean financial distress for your family, is that another reason?

By the way, I'm not looking for ways of getting out of it. If we were called up, I would happily do it if I could make arrangements. I always wanted to do it at home!

[SpangleDragon]

I've NEVER been called for Jury service... mid 40s now