Salary after mat leave - does it go up?

[RBush22]

My full maternity pay finished in March 2024 and statutory maternity pay finished in October 2024. I have been on unpaid leave since and going back to work full time in January. Will my monthly salary be higher than in the past for the first few months as I've paid no tax this tax year? My partner seems to think so but I'm not so sure....

You mean your net income, rather than your salary ?

Yes, it is likely. Or, alternatively, you would get a tax rebate after the end of the financial year in April 25.

I think you will only have had less than £5000 in SMP, but you do not start paying tax until you have earned £12,570, so you can earn £7.5 - £8 k over Jan/Feb/March before you are due to pay tax.
NOTE - these are very rough figures - check the detail

Similarly, if you are paying a student loan, then that should only be taken from your gross pay, if you are expected to earn over the threshold for the year. Sometimes, if your salary is above 1/12th of the threshold, in one month, it gets taken and then you have to claim that back (see Martin Lewis for how to do this).