To go full time for a few months to get better maternity pay

[TheatreJunkie84]

I have just posted this on the Money boards, but traffic is slow and I'm after advice/RL stories! Apologies if it's the second time you're reading.

I'm on maternity leave at the moment...and have just found out I'm pregnant. YIKES!!! My son is only 7 months old so it's a bit of a shock.

Absolutely terrified but sort of excited. Odd feeling. Anyhoo.

I'm going back to work at the end of February....so here's my pickle. I'm going back part time and working 12 hours a week.

When I go on maternity leave again, am I right in thinking my entitlement this time will be lower? Because I'm going to be part time and not full time, like I was with my last pregnancy?

Under the impression that my maternity pay would be 90% of what I'd 'normally' earn. If that's the case...could I get away with going back to being full time a couple months before I go on maternity leave again, so I get the full entitlement?

Or that illegal?! I don't want to do anything seriously shady....I'm just not sure we could survive on DP's wage and 90% of a part time minimum wage job! Especially as I couldn't get a top up from UC, as maternity pay is considered extra income. Happy to suck up the childcare costs for a few months and work full time if it means getting that little bit extra to help whilst I'm off on maternity.

It’s 90% for 6 weeks.

I believe it’s an average of the salary you had between week 17 and 25 of your pregnancy so if during those weeks you’re full and then drop to 12w then you’d still be entitled to highest one.

I already answered you on your other thread. You would need to do the extra hours in weeks 17-25 as it's those weeks they look at when calculating maternity pay (if you are claiming SMP)

It's legal but a bit of a piss take on your employer

@Hahaha88 does it help if I say he's not a particularly pleasant man?

Jokes aside - absolutely understand that. Hence my asking here!

How is that a pisstake on the employer? SMP is mostly refunded by HMRC. Maybe a pisstake to tax payers then LOL
Yes it's 90percent of your wages for 6 weeks then 90percent of your wages or the flat statutory rate of about 145pw, whichever is lower, for 33 weeks. Assessed on earnings between week 17 and 25 of pregnancy. Roughly. So get your calculator out and see what works best :)

Two of my friends have done that. One of them went part time between babies but actually used all her holiday taking one day a week off

I did this. Went back FT but used leave to effectively work PT. no regrets

Name change fail?

If you request to increase your hours to get maternity pay, your boss may not let you return part time in the future (eg when you return to work following your 2nd maternity leave).

Ha ha! Brings back memories - I did this 23 years ago
I worked soooooooo much overtime for the pay period 17-25 weeks
Almost double my salary
My 90% was double of normal
Only has 6 weeks mat pay and 3 weeks annual leave tho as private company on minimum termd

SMP is funded by the government , the rest comes out of your employers pocket. I’m not saying it’s a piss take by the way

I think I'd worry if you wanted to request pt again after your 2nd mat leave. They may not be so flexible. It does look calculated.

I went back ft after dd1 knowing I'd have good mat pay, but I did work 15 months before that happened and tbf had always been ft up to that point.

So have you already negotiated to go back party time but now you want to go back full time?

Part time obviously. I'd quite like to work party time!