Maternity leave/Pay

[sprite25]

I know this is probably a stupid question but when I was reading about maternity leave/pay it said that maternity pay is paid for up to 39 weeks but I was planning on taking the full 52 weeks of maternity leave, so does this mean that once you get to 39 weeks of maternity leave you stop getting any money even though your technically still employed (I definitely plan to go back to work after the 52 weeks of leave) I just find the whole Maternity leave/pay thing confusing and this is my first baby so dont know how things work cos my employers are quite useless at getting back to me/clarifying things.

[gintastic]

Yes that's right. For the last 13 weeks of mat leave, you are employed and have the right to return, but no actual salary is paid. I've just had my last 5 weeks of SMP today, I'm going back 6th August so I will have one month with no pay.

[LIZS]

yes it does . SMP is 39 weeks - 6 at 90% average earnings over the relevant weeks (so could include bonus or overtime etc) then 33 weeks at £136.78 . Your company may enhance this but that could be subject to conditions on return .

[sprite25]

oh dear didnt realise this, I guess I may have to go back to work earlier then I wanted to then. Its not that I wanted to just have time off work but wanted to be around full time for at least the first year of my baby :(

[gintastic]

Can you save anything from the 6 weeks initial pay at 90%? To cover 13 weeks at SMP you need to save about £1800, could you live on £135/week for the first 6 weeks and use the excess at the end?

[sprite25]

I only get £133 a week as it is for my normal wage so that will be even lower at the SMP rate. I guess I could do some over time before I finish to tide me over but as they already have someone else there when Im not then they dont really need anyone to do extra hours...either that or go back when the baby is only 8 months old :(

[UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea]

You know that you accrue holidays when you are on mat leave so you can tag that on at the end of your mat leave? If your holiday allowance is 20 days, 8 months will give you another few weeks at the end.

[BriansBrain]

Yes you can also ask to not use any holiday you have left this year and add it on to the end as well as using holiday occurred on mat leave.

We have done this for an employee before and you can do keeping in touch days that you get paid for.

You could also sell your belongings on FB sales and/or Ebay to try and build some money up.

And you will get some CB, can you claim any working tax credits? I know nothing about this last sentence