SMP allowance - are there any top ups available?

[Sharice]

I have to start my maternity weeks 11 weeks before my due date due to health reasons and work won’t allow me to take any vacation days before maternity starts!
I was wondering if I can get any top ups on my wages while on SMP?
The first 6 weeks is 90% of my wages but the baby isn’t due for another 5 weeks after that which means it’ll go down to £184.03 (736.12 a month) before the baby comes and I will struggle to live with this.
so I was wondering if I can have any top ups for the 33 weeks that I will receive £184.03 a month or will I get no help?

Are the health reasons due to your pregnancy because if not could you take it as sick leave rather than maternity?

You looked on entitled to see if you can get UC?

Can you not get signed off sick?

Do you live alone? Just that you say 'I' and it's relevant as UC is dependent on household income so your partner's income would be taken into account when assessing benefit entitlement.

If you have already accrued al they cannot stop you using it first. If you are signed off sick there is a point where ml has to start early.

No there aren’t

What was your plan for maternity leave?

You should go to your nearest citizens advice bureau with this.

On first look you may be being illegally discriminated against.

You can't be treated less favourably at work due to maternity.

Eg you can't be dictated when you can take annual leave if non pregnant staff aren't. Also your employer has rules about 'forcing ' you to go on mat leave early.

Good employers should pay about SMP.

You should probably be going off sick until you have to take maternity leave.

You should also either be bringing fully financially supported by a partner who takes an equal hit for the costs of your mat leave or if you have split you should claim child maintenance as soon as the baby is born.

If it's just your income in your household you will get UC then Also child benefit after the baby.

Time off ill due to pregnancy is protected, so it won't count towards your sickness absence record. Obviously how much you get paid on your sick leave depends on your T&Cs in your contract

They absolutely should allow you to take accrued annual leave. Check with your HR if your manager is being a dick

You may be able to claim Universal credit if you have rent costs etc to pay but if you are living with your partner then it will be based on joint earnings so unlikely to qualify.

Thanks for your responses!
I cannot afford to live off sick pay that’s why I haven’t taken it, HR said that I haven’t accrued the days yet because we only accrue around 2 days a month so I’d only be entitled to take a couple of days annual leave and have to take the rest at the end of the maternity leave, but surely if I’m employed and due to come back after my maternity leave it shouldn’t matter if they’ve been accrued yet or not as I’m not going to be there for the rest of the year to use the days?
also I’m currently trying to find a place to live, I’m stuck at my parents for now and my partner isn’t in the picture

If you can't afford to live of maternity pay you need to check if you've got any entitlement to universal credit (use a benefit calculator like entitled to or turn2us). You need to draw up a budget now based on what your income will be once you go down to just the basic smp amount. You really don't want to be realising with a four month old at home that you cannot pay you rent

I spoke to someone at the job centre about this, I “claim” universal credit but I’ve never received anything because my salary is higher than my allowance, but they said I’m not entitled to anything more than SMP, when I move they can contribute to rent but I’m not entitled to anything else, I see so many people claiming all sorts of things but because I work I can only claim SMP and then UC will help with rent when I move out until I go back to work, is this the same allowance everyone gets? I just heard there was more help than this

You might get something towards childcare once your baby is born and rent. Try running through entitledto based on your maternity pay.

And you should chase baby's father for cms.

The job centre exist to minimise how much you get in social security.

Go to an independent advice agency like CAB.

Why do you not go off sick? Maternity leave/pay will trigger at 34? (Coud be 36) weeks.
Would give you some breathing space if you get paid whilst sick.