Maternity pay crisis

[beckylbradder1]

I worked in a nursery for 18 months before going to a new nursery as it seemed better for my family life. However, I didn't enjoy the new nursery and been accepted back into the previous nursery.
However, I'm due to go back to the old nursery next week and I've found out that I'm pregnant. I know that I won't be eligible for statutory maternity pay by going back to the old job even though I've been gone for 6 weeks whilst I would be eligible in the new one. But I know sticking it out for a number of months in the new nursery will stress me and make me unhappy which I don't need. I am thinking of asking my former/to be employer if I could have statutory pay if I stayed for the company for a number of years and not allow to leave before then. Is this a stupid idea? I'm literally panicking as I don't know what to do! 😔 Any other suggestions I could try as I don't know how I could survive on Maternity Allowance 😔

[flowery]

Well you could always ask. The trouble is as you wouldn’t be entitled to it they wouldn’t be able to claim it back from HMRC, so they’d be footing the bill themselves completely.

Can you really not manage on maternity allowance? It’s only the first six weeks that is less than SMP.

[Sunshinegirl82]

You could ask the old nursery to pay you the difference between maternity allowance and the 90% of pay for the first 6 weeks. They wouldn't be obliged to do so though obviously.