Maternity pay

[linzid84]

Hi just after a little advice please regarding maternity. I'm due to go back to work end of February but I'm really thinking of taking the 3 months unpaid.
Don't feel ready to leave my baby just yet.
My question is can you claim any sort of benefits or help with rent/council tax for the last 3 unpaid months? I'm also now a single parent!
Thanks

I'm not sure about benefits -but I don't imagine so as the leave is voluntary? If you can't afford to, presumably the advice will be not to take it. Are you claiming child benefit?

You usually have to give 8 weeks notice of a change to the dates so if you want to change it now, might be worth checking you can first. It should be in the policy or your contract

There is no benefit in particular to cover those last 3 months, however if becoming a single parent has changed your financial/ living situation it may be worth checking to see if you are entitled to any benefits now you are single. The children's centre by me has a drop in that they run to help with finding out what your entitled to it might be worth seeing if there is something by you like that.

You can only claim benefits on maternity leave that you would be entitled to when back at work. So unless you are usually entitled to benefits, then no, you can't.

You can apply for universal credit... I'm doing it at the moment! And you can get child benefits if you aren't already.

You wouldn't be entitled to anything extra as you're still considered employed whilst on maternity leave even though those 3 months would obviously be unpaid.

It may be worth contacting your employer and asking if they could pay you the holiday you have accrued rather than you using the days as annual leave.

Are you at then end of the full year maternity or just when they stop paying maternity, something like 9 months and then you have to normally cover the rest. I went on to income support for the 3 months I wasn't getting paid from work as I didn't feel ready to leave my baby at 9 months. They paid me something was loads but definitely helped and then i took my accrued holidays I made over the year and then started back at work 4 weeks later, not to sue about the rent side of things as I live with my mum, but stop my income support when I took my Holiday as you are technically back in employment. Just call benefits I'm sure they can help with any advice, they did when I called them, hope this helps x

It may be worth contacting your employer and asking if they could pay you the holiday you have accrued rather than you using the days as annual leave.

I might be wrong but I vaguely remember they aren't allowed to do this unless you aren't returning to employment after maternity leave. I'm pretty sure it's something to do with ensuring people get the actual physical statutory amount of days off per year.