Quick question about maternity pay vs SMP

[NameChaaanger]

If your employers offer a better package than SMP, can they still claim the SMP part back?

So for example our Mat policy has two sections, one for people who have the required service to get full maternity pay, and one for people who don't but are entitled to SMP.

Full maternity pay is full pay for 8 weeks, then half pay (+SMP) for 18 weeks. Can they claim back 90% of the pay for 6 weeks, and then SMP for two weeks (and then obviously they'll claim the rest of the SMP?) Or does it not work like that?

Yes, they can claim back the SMP portion.

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/DG _10029290

"Some company schemes require you to pay back some money if you don't come back to work. However, you must be paid at least as much as SMP (if you qualify), which doesn't have to be repaid."

Or do you mean can they claim it back from the government? If so then yes. lack of sleep

(given up on name change as outed myself so many times!)
Yes, that's what I meant - thanks for the advice. Can you link me to anything that shows this so I can show my boss? (I'll have a search myself as well of course) My boss is trying to work out the department budget at the moment so we weren't sure if when I was getting 100% they'd be 100% down, or 10% down iyswim.

www.hmrc.gov.uk/paye/employees/statutory-pay/smp-overview.htm

thanks!