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Maternity pay question

2 replies

Moleseygirl · 02/04/2014 10:17

Hi, I am due to go on maternity leave for my second child at the beginning of June. I currently work part time and as of this month will be eligible to claim £243 (ish) of salary sacrifice childcare vouchers a month. My employer operates a system where after the first 6 weeks of mat leave, either you can claim the next 12 weeks at 50% pay or (in case you don't return to work and don't want to have to potentially pay it back) you can claim that money after your return. 50% of my current salary would take me below SMP amount once I have salary sacrificed. I am wondering whether there is a loophole here: I think I may potentially be able to just claim SMP after the first 6 weeks, my employer will cover my childcare vouchers, and when I go back to work and get my 50% pay......would they then go back and deduct all my childcare vouchers or would that amount be untouched? Any thoughts or ideas as to how this may pan out would be very gratefully received! x

OP posts:
10thingsihateaboutpoo · 08/04/2014 17:47

Hmm tricky. I know they can't deduct childcare vouchers from your smp for sure, so how much over smp is your 50% extra? As i was only part-time my 50% extra only worked out £15 odd a month, so i elected to keep receiving vouchers and all they could take was £15 towards the vouchers, they cannot dip into your smp.

Try posting in employment, some good advice there

GardenWorm · 09/04/2014 06:47

Ring the company who run your voucher scheme. Some (but not all) employers will continue to honour the voucher payments whilst you are on SMP and they will tell you whether yours is one of them. If they do and you can afford it then you may as well go onto SMP after 6wks and take the free vouchers and the 12wks at 50% on your return. Couldn't you just confirm it with your employer? I don't think it's a loophole, plus I think they are supposed to advise you of all your options before you go on mat leave (not that mine did...!)

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