SMP - pension contributions salary sacrifice pension

[Tiredpregnantlady]

Hi all. I think I am right on this but before I go to HR (they haven't been great so far) I just wanted to check if anyone else experience of this.
My maternity package is crap - SMP only. My pension is a salary sacrifice scheme and from what I've read online, SMP cannot be sacrificed and my understanding is that my employer has to pay both their contributions AND MINE during my maternity leave. The company maternity policy is very vague, doesn't say much about pensions and has other info missing on work benefits which I've had to challenge and fight for (they have now 'updated' the policy after I called these elements out). So I don't trust HR or the crap policy which was written many years ago - hence I wanted to check the wisdom of Mumsnet - anyone else have SMP only and a salary sacrifice pension? TIA

yes and yes, they need to pay it.

You're entitled to the same benefits you would be if you weren't on maternity which includes pension. They have to contribute the same as your full salary even though you won't be getting that. Your contribution will be based on whatever you get paid though.

I agree with other posters but to add, when you do salx on pension ALL contributions are legally employer contributions. This is because the arrangement is that you agree to be paid a lower salary in exchange for additional contributions being paid into your pension.
So the employer needs to continue paying the pension contributions as it would have been.

Hi, so I'm currently paying 7.5% in, they pay the same. You're agreeing they have to continue to pay their 7.5% and they will also pay my 7.5% ?

Sorry, another question just so I'm clear. So they have to make their contributions which is 7.5% of my full salary. Then for my contribution, they have to pay that but that would be based on 7.5% of my SMP, rather than 7.5% of my full salary?

No they pay based on your normal salary not on SMP

At my work, they also continue to pay both contributions during the 12 weeks unpaid portion, but I have to pay back my portion of this when I return to work. Not sure if that's the same everywhere though

My work switched me from sal
sacrifice to whatever the other version is because as you said, I had nothing to deduct from during SMP.

As long as I paid the required percentage contribution from SMP, work paid their required percentage but based on my normal wage. I had the option to stop pension contributions but if I had done, work would have stopped theirs too.