Work (council) have sent me a HUGE bill for not going back after Mat Leave. Can I beg with them to reduce it?? Help!

[umberella]

It's over £2000.

Crappity crap. We are so poor atm.

lol cmoc! yes!

yes - that's what I think jura. I'm going to call then in the morning.

I think you will owe around £2,200 or thereabouts

Sorry it wasn't better news

IIRC when I had maternity pay from local gov. after I had dd, I got 6 weeks at 90% (SMP)
then 20 weeks at £100 ish a week.

My Occupational maternity pay (so additional to the SMP) was 12 weeks at 50% pay. Which I opted to have paid over the 20 weeks following the first 6 weeks. That was in addition to the SMP. So if I had not returned after mat leave, I would have had to repay 12 weeks at 50% pay.

I think that Umbrella will be required to pay back in full (though maybe with payment plan) the 6 weeks @ 50% pay, which would be £1212 ish.

I can't remember about holiday though....

When I had ds, I knew I would not be returning so I opted not to take the OMP, with the understanding that if I did return, I would get it as a lump sum.

Are there any bonus payments likely in this or perhaps that were paid during your qualifying week for the calculation so affecting smp ?

I think that's what I was trying to say Jura. They have defo got it wrong somewhere.

I think if they are coming in just under 2k then they have already deducted your accrued holiday pay I'm afraid.

no way you did lots of overtime or got a bonus when you were pregnant?

just know they calculate your maternity pay based on some particular weeks when you're pregnant??

lizs - sorry you've lost me?

No all the figures are here on the thread

Their calculations are correct

Sort out a repayment plan that they will agree to

oh god how depressing.

we can't even pay our cat's 'euthanasia' bill .

i am going to offer them £100/month and get a pub job at the weekends. Do you think they'll accept that??

I will come back tomorrow night and see how you got on. Good luck!

Just one thought - have you checked that you aren't due a tax rebate for that year? Perhaps that could go towards it...?

The tricky think is if they've accidentally overpaid your maternity pay (so if they've ballsed it up and given you more than you were entitled to), then they can still claw that back.

Just thinking that if you had a one off payment in the week the SMP claculation is based on (15th week before baby due)it might have increased the 90% bit of SMP paid. Also any cash in lieu of benefits such as a car are payable throughout. May well not apply in your case but did in mine.

Haven't read thread but I used to work for council and owed them £800 odd. They were very reasonable when it came to a payment plan. Asked me what I thought I could afford to pay and they were fine with it. I offered £50 per month by standing order.

can you get a little job at weekends and evenings? say, a call centre, pub or restaurant?

I have no idea if the figures that have been calculated on your behalf are correct umberella. (rubbish at maths)

I would just like to add that yes they do miscalculate. I work for the NHS and they "completely forgot" to pay my SMP for the first month I was due - so that was over £400. I said rather sarcastically to them that it was a good job that my dh was working as that money would have paid the mortgage. They made me wait a month.

Hope you get it sorted soon, I am sure they will work out some instalments with you. We all make mistakes and/or change our minds.

Just to clarify I meant that I am rubbish at maths, not the kind people such as mp who have been making calculations for you.

thank you everyone, I am in awe at your financial genius (especially you MP ).

I will report back tomorrow and let you know my fate

expat- my neighbour's DH drives a taxi overnight on a saturday and makes about £100/week.

I'd do that if I wasn't such a scaredy cat!! Will try for a pub job.

might be good if things are tight.

i'm going to try for such a job like that after this one is born, just for a bit of extra dosh to pay the bills.

I keep trying to think of things I could do from home......don't we all though!!

Why oh why can't I come up with an effective get-rich-quick plan??!