Maternity pay ending, what then?

[Tara313]

Hi,

I don't know if I'm posting this in the right section, I'm sorry if not 😔.

I'm currently 4.5 months into my years maternity with my baby girl, I know you only get paid 39 weeks SMP so my maternity pay will end in Oct, I would like to take the whole year off to spend as long as I can with my little girl so my question is what happens money wise between Oct and Jan. I'm also in receipt of child and working tax, child Ben and get help with my rent too as I only work part time so don't earn enough to cover all my rent etc. I'm worried that all my help will stop and I'll have to go back to work in Oct which I really don't want to do, can anyone advise me what benefits will stop and which will carry on if any? If I have to go back in Oct then needs must but I'd love to stay home with little one them extra couple of months.

Thank you 😊

You accumulate annual leave and bank hols whilst on mat leave. Add them to the end, that should give you a few more weeks. Also - can you do some keeping in touch days? I did one a month for 6 months, and asked for Time in Lieu rather than pay. This gave me 6 more days - which was 2 weeks as I went back 3 days a week.

That’s another thing. Are you planning to go back full or part time? If you go back part time, and “go back” at the end of your 39th week,your accumulated leave will get you more weeks off, although obviously at lower pay.

Thank you for your reply this kind of thing confuses me so really grateful 😊.

I'm going to be going back part time doing the same hours I was doing before which was 16 hrs. I get 5 weeks and a few hra holiday leave a year, which I presuming would be the same even though I'm on leave, I can go down and check, I get on really well with my manager, thankfully. My leave ends the 14th Jan so could I ask them to put me on holidays from the 10th of December to at least get some wages in the last few weeks before going back to work? The only problem I worried I might face is the fact my work usually only allow 2 weeks holiday at one time but if I'm on leave anyway surely that shouldn't make a difference to them?

I used up my annual leave and then had no pay. My work were happy for me to use my annual leave up in a big chunk because they didn't want me to have almost 2 years worth to use in the next year.

I don't get any benefits so can't help with that but is there a number you can call to ask them?

Congratulations on your baby.

Hiya Coil,

Yeah I'll have to have a look, maybe citizens advice could tell me what will happen. My work don't roll our holidays over so I think if I don't use them then I will lose them, but also feel like I'd be taking the mickey booking holidays after I've just had so long off work, but also think to myself I've not exactly been off work sick kind of thing I've been raising my baby, so I'd have thought they couldn't say anything or refuse me booking them off surely.

Thank you 😊 she's a right cutie, well when she wants to be 😂.

You can’t take annual leave whilst you are on mat leave, so you have to take it afterwards. From a management point of view, it’s much easier for you to add it to the end of your mat leave, as they can often just extend your cover.

OK thank you, I'll have to speak to my manager and see what she says, they haven't got anyone in to cover me as I work in a supermarket and I think just maybe given more hrs to the other staff, but they have hired alot more people since I've been on leave as they have a high staff turn over due to not exactly being treating the employees very well. I will try and see if they will put all my holidays on the end of my leave in one lump as I'm off already otherwise have to try and fit 5 weeks holiday in in between mid Jan and April.

Speak to someone familiar with benefits - working tax credit would certainly end and as your situation has substantially changed I suspect you need to switch to uc

OK fab thank you for all the replies really appreciated.