Redundancy: Lump sum SMP, tax free childcare and 30 hours childcare eligibility?

[ChillyAutumn]

I’m going to call HMRC on Monday but thought I’d ask here in case anyone has been in the same situation.

I’m pregnant with my 2nd child and I’m being made redundant. My employer has kindly let me stay until my maternity leave starts and then I’ll get my SMP in one lump sum and then be unemployed. Am I still eligible for tax free childcare for my 2020 child? I know you can still get it when on maternity leave, but as I’m also unemployed I’m very confused. Obviously I could really do with not losing that 20% discount on his nursery 😅 (he’ll also be eligible for 30hrs childcare from September so hope I don’t lose out on that as well ???)

I think that when you get to your next eligibility reconfirmation, you will become non-eligible.

revenuebenefits.org.uk/tax-free-childcare/guidance/how-does-tax-free-childcare-work/making-a-claim/reconfirmation-process/

Due to getting SMP as a lump sum, due to redundancy, I think that then means you are not counted as being on paid maternity leave. However that may not be right, so see what the helpline says. It may count until the end of original entitlement to SMP.