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Original poster

Statutory maternity pay- where should I go for a straight answer??

17 replies

redclover79 · 14/12/2006 15:15

Hi
I work part time and do not earn enough to pay NI. I work for a large supermarket and no one seems able to give me a straight answer one way or the other.
What I need to know is where do I go to find out what maternity benefits I am entitled to? My company won't even help me out in theory until I've handed over my matb1, even though I earn a flat rate and will not be getting a payrise before I go on leave. This is really stressing me out as although I don't earn a lot and I'm just a faceless worthless employee, I really need to know how much of a drop in income I am facing.
I've been on the dwp site and used their smp calculator, but my brain is fuzzy and I have a 2.6yo to entertain while I'm at it, and I don't understand the whole NI thing. I don't know if I'm earning enough that my employer is paying NI but I'm not...
Sorry if this doesn't make any sense but I really can't face another night sat on a till being close to tears and worrying that I won't be entitled to any maternity leave pay at all... Can anyone help me? I can't believe this is being made so difficult!! Thanks!

OP posts:
kslatts · 14/12/2006 15:33

The inland revenue website also has a maternity pay calculator. www.hmrc.gov.uk

twelvedaysofchristmas · 14/12/2006 15:46

Use the "personalised help" links on directgov here

You can put in your earnings and stuff so it tells you exactly what you need to know.

UCM · 14/12/2006 16:13

How long have you worked for this company and do you earn 82.00 per week before tax?

Original poster
redclover79 · 14/12/2006 16:17

Thanks for that. Went on the directgov link and it said I would probably be entitled, but then spoke to someone at inland revenue who said I'm not entitled. Apparently I should contact my local jobcentre, went on the website and put in the name of my town and there were no search results... I am so upset that I wasn't made aware of this by my company. I know I haven't handed in my matb1 but I work for a company where a lot of people work part time and they must have been aware I was unlikely to be entitled to pay, but they left me to find it out for myself...
So, next question: does anyone know how much and what type of maternity benefit I will be entitled to via the government?

OP posts:
sweetheart · 14/12/2006 16:24

I used to find the tiger website very useful - it's here

Original poster
redclover79 · 14/12/2006 16:30

UCM I earn £89.25 a week and I've worked there for just over a year. I don't pay tax or NI... I worked for another company when I was pg with ds and they were fantastic and upfront about what I was entitled to and what I would receive. This company has been so unsupportive and could barely bring itself to listen to any of my concerns in my health and safety review, I just feel utterly worthless let alone soon to be broke...
I'm now wondering if I worked loads of overtime and started paying tax and NI until I went on maternity leave wether I might be entitled?

OP posts:
fiiiivemadmarchhaaaares · 14/12/2006 16:34

DWP site might be useful.

Original poster
redclover79 · 14/12/2006 16:35

Thanks sweetheart, used the tiger website and it said I would probably be entitled to 90% of what I'm earning, which is fine but I need a definitive answer, which seemed to be a resounding no from inland revenue. My company also said even when I hand my matb1 they won't be able to tell me because the budget was the other week and no one actually knows because I'm a borderline case... The whole situation is not helped by the fact I'm an emotional wreck at the moment and I have to start work inless than an hour and I don't seem to be able to stop crying!!

OP posts:
twelvedaysofchristmas · 14/12/2006 16:52

Do you have your most recent payslip? Looks like your average earnings need to be over £84 p/w for 26 weeks prior to your EWC to get Statutory Maternity Pay. Otherwise you'll get Maternity Allowance via the jobcentre which will also be 90% of your earnings. (You definitely qualify for that.)

The amount of benefit you receive will be the same, you just need to check where to claim from.

Your company sound like unhelpful bastards. The new maternity policies have been in place for months now. They should have this sorted. New policies apply for all babies due from April 1st. The old policies apply for ones due before then. The only major difference between the two should be the length of time your benefit is paid.

Your first port of call is your company. If they are not going to pay you SMP or you are not entitled, it is their job to find out. Then they will give you a form explaining why and it's at that stage that you apply to the Jobcentre for Maternity Allowance. Hope that helps a bit.

UCM · 14/12/2006 16:59

read this

This outlines what you need to get SMP, which you are, just trying to find out how much it is.

UCM · 14/12/2006 17:07

Well I have looked at several sites and I can only deduce that you will be paid at 90% of your current earnings for 6 weeks and then 108.00 per week for 20 weeks. I am trying to find out if you get the 108.00 for the first 6 weeks or not!!

Original poster
redclover79 · 15/12/2006 00:09

Thanks UCM and TDOC, spoke to personnel this evening as soon as I got there and I'm still none the wiser, but I'm pretty certain there is a lot of buck passing going on. I was told that even when I hand my matb1 in I might not get an immediate answer because the company havent been told the new lower earnings limit as set out in the budget... Then to really make my day I got told off for daring to go to personnel when I should have been sat on a till, a 20 minute crying session in the toilet ensued and I get the impression I will be conveniently avoided/forgotten about until I hassle people again.
I also asked wether my best bet is to do work myself into the ground and do loads of overtime to bump up my earnings and no one seemed to know the answer to this either... And another thing, they actually asked me why it was so important that I know this information now? WTF?? I think the company must make it's head office staff take insensitivity training, as well as the managers...
Sorry for rambling but it's been an awful shift and I feel so insignificant and faceless and pants...

OP posts:
UCM · 15/12/2006 11:09

Redclover, would you like me to write a letter to your personnel dept. Tis making my blood boil a bit hearing that you are being treated like this. The new lower earnings limit is 84.60 approx, so you are still within that limit.

Your company have a bloody cheek and are not following good practice at all. You have to inform them 28 days before your due date (in writing I believe).

Please contact me on sarfend at hotmail dot co dot uk if you want some more help.

Also when is your baby due?

UCM · 15/12/2006 11:10

Oh and the overtime will only count if it's done over a period of 8 weeks before.

Original poster
redclover79 · 15/12/2006 15:39

Thanks UCM, if I wasn't pregnant and overly emotional right now I would have a proper strop at them, as it is I end up bursting into tears... Anyway, having now been entirely convinced that no one at work is prepared to do a stroke of work more than they have to (I'm assuming this is a company policy), I have been on the phone to cab, the job centre and on the dwp website and have deduced that qualifying does not depend on whether I pay NI, which is what I have been led to believe, but whther I earn over the threshold £84 p/week which I do. I just wanted to post a link in case anyone else gets stuck with this problem: www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/ni17a/smp/smp_2.asp
(sorry I don't know how to make it turn blue!). This page has the earnings rule and says that you have to be earning over the threshold limit, and that the threshold limit is the one in use at the end of the qualifying week (i.e. the 15th week before your edd).
I hope no one else finds themselves in this stupid situation!!

OP posts:
Original poster
redclover79 · 15/12/2006 15:54

UCM, justsent you an email!

OP posts:
helenhismadwife · 15/12/2006 21:06

speak to Acas they are brilliant at giving advice and support for this sort of thing and the information they give is up to date.

www.acas.org.uk

08457 47 47 47

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