UC sanctions with baby under 1, pregnant and signed off sick with PND and need to quit job

[mrc123]

Hi,

Apologies for the long post but i need some help and advice...

I had a DD in March 2019, i went on mat leave when i was around 8 and half months pregnant (i have worked since i was 17 and now 27 - to add i started my job just after i was 3 months pregnant although i didnt know at the time of leaving my job), whilst on mat leave my dad had a brain aneurysm the week before i gave birth so this was pretty horrendous being so far gone and about to drop, dad survived but is not the same person now. Anyway to add to this whilst in labour, the midwife messed my birth up and as she was incompetent to check me quickly as i knew i was ready she sat and waited, once the midwife changed over i had to give birth within half an hour before they would intervene, luckily i managed to have DD before 30 minutes was up but when born she wouldnt cry and struggling to breathe and we ended up in neonatal unit (hospital messed up quite a lot of stuff and have investigated and openly admitted that they failed and if i had her an hour earlier we would've been fine without any neonatal etc)... anyway, i was on mat leave until July when my partner took 2 weeks shared parental as he was changing jobs and my MIL had DD for 2 weeks, after being at work for a month i realised i wasn't ready to be back at work and was signed off by the doctors for post natal depression. I have now been signed off for 4 months and the job i currently have is not suitable for me and my partner, i would be better off staying at home or working part time as childcare is ridiculous and we are far away from both sides of the family so no childcare support from them and i am also 4 and half months pregnant (unplanned and the biggest shock of my life) and still not quite ready to go back to work- i need to know what my next step is? IF i quit my job will i be sanctioned by universal credit? if so does anyone know how long and how much will be deducted? although i believe you cannot be sanctioned for quitting your job and having a baby under 1 but will this be the same when i am currently signed off sick and i went back to work for a month? My anxiety is through the roof as i need to get this sorted ASAP as doctors note runs out in 2 weeks and i dont want to get signed off again if i can get this resolved without having to do so? Please no harsh judgement, 2019 has been a bad year apart from my DD and i just need some help with what to do next.

Thanks for any help....

I think you won’t be sanctioned as have a child under three call them to confirm

i called them a couple of months back and the lady wasnt much help, just said that someone else makes decision and i would need to have a good enough excuse to leave job to not be sanctioned

You shouldn't be sanctioned but I wouldn't quit as you can just go on maternity leave again in a matter of weeks can't you? So you'd at least get smp.

It’s 11 weeks before your due so I wouldn’t get that until end of jan/ start of feb, I don’t think I’d get smp anyway as I’ve only work for a month since feb this year plus I don’t really want to keep getting signed off by the doctor etc if I can quit my job and not worry about implications etc if that makes sense?

You can do back to back maternity without even going back at all, I know someone who did this.

I did back to back maternity leave - the amount you earn is enough in earning to count as SMP. And you’ll be due holidays too.

You might get ma instead of smp.

If you get SMP check work regs. My employer has penalties if you leave within a certain time after maternity leave where you have to pay money back

If you are signed off you should be able to apply for the not required to search for work group. Ask about this in the building, I find you get much more sense in person.

Smp itself would not be repayable, only Occupational Maternity Pay if paid in addition. Conditions for return to work should be stated up front in the letter confirming your leave , employee policies/handbook or terms and conditions of employment.

You can talk to Citizens Advice about this if you want clear advice. They can advise online, on the phone or face to face. Good luck.

So I went to the job centre today and the lady said it's all on a case by case basis so it wouldn't be guaranteed on whether or not I would be sanctioned and i would need to have a good enough reason to not be working etc... I was going to tell my manager about not coming back but realised if I do this then all my money that I do get would be messed up as I am on sick pay so I would lose the money I would get and it would leave us with nothing which isn't the right choice with Christmas around the corner and another baby on the way so I think I will carry on being signed off sick until I can on Mat leave early, I'm not sure on SMP as I got MA with my DD in March and have only worked jan feb and July of this year so would I qualify for SMP if I ride it out with the sick notes?