Return Maternity Pay?

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I have been on maternity leave for the past 4 months and have now decided that I do not wish to return to the school in which I've been teaching for the past couple of years.

I am aware that I need to complete 13 weeks full time (or pro rata with part time) to keep my enhanced maternity pay. However, my question is, what am I obliged to pay back if I do not return at all?

I have attempted to call my Union but I have been on hold for over an hour and understandably, I don't want to speak to my school or LA at this point. Looking on TES some posts suggest that you only repay the enhanced payments after the 6 weeks mark (e.g. the 50% period) but nothing before. However, I cannot find any support for this and assumed that I would need to repay the whole lot minus the SMP?

In the long run, this distinction would make a huge difference for me as I could afford to repay the 50% payments but not the whole amount. Have any wise people been in this situation or have any advice/insight?

TIA!

You only have to repay what your employer pays on top of SMP.

So SMP is 6 weeks at 90% and then the flat rate of £145.18 per week for 33 weeks.

Anything you get above that during the 39 weeks is an enhanced payment from your employer and they tend to ask for it all back if you don't return.

Right! Thank you pastabest, that is really helpful! I'm not sure if it's just my current frazzled, sleep deprived state, but it seems really difficult to find out about maternity pay/regulations etc.!

Out of interest, does that 13 weeks need to be 13 teaching weeks, or 13 consecutive weeks? I ask because when I went back to an NHS job after my youngest was born, my "3 months" minimum return was inclusive of accumulated holiday so in fact I think I only did 9 weeks in total. (I was only able to do the absolute minimum because my contract ran out during my leave and the deal was that it was extended only enough for me to return and no more).

I realise that teaching is worked out quite differently and that this may not make a difference to you anyway, but I mention it in case!