Childcare vouchers & maternity leave- please help!

[Izzy82]

I'm baffled and I need help! I'm currently pregnant with second baby. I akready take the maximum child care vouchers I can but am going on maternity leave in September.
I know I have 2 choices-

1. continue with the vouchers- but will have to continue throughout my pregnancy and maternity leave. My maternity money will be less but my vouchers will be paid even when I am earning nothing after SMP has finished
   
2. Drop out of the scheme by week 17. Pay normal child care for until July but get the full SMP allowance.
   
   I can't find how to work out exact savings as all I can find says that SMP will be calculated on my salary after vouchers have been taken. Not helpful!
   
   So my question is... Which option is better? What did other teachers do?
   Thanks for reading.

[icklekid]

Following because in exactly the same position and 16 weeks pregnant so need to decide asap!

[Sparklycat]

SMP will stay the same, it is your OMP that is calculated. So when you hit SMP period only (139 a week) they will have to pay you your vouchers but will not take it out of SMP, only out of the 18 weeks your SMP is topped up with OMP. So if you take a full year you're getting 6 months free childcare vouchers.

[OddBoots]

It has been made more complicated by a very recent Employment Appeal Tribunal that has ruled that childcare vouchers are not a benefit that the law required to be continued during maternity leave. You need to be sure exactly what your employer offers and get that in writing before you make firm decisions.

[talulahbelle]

Following for interest. I hope to be in this position soon.

[mangocoveredlamb]

Assuming they can't take them from your SMP (which a previous poster suggests might change) it's worth keeping them going as for me, OMP from teaching wasn't wildly generous. (Not complaining.)
That way you get them all the way through and can either use them for some childcare during may leave or save them up and use them to pay the deposit on DC2's childcare and help make the first couple of months back at work childcare cheaper!