Anyone heard of getting your maternity pay in a lump sum?

[leesey]

After weeks and weeks of battling with HR regarding my maternity leave (which officially started today!) it looks likely that I'm going to be paid my SMP in a lump sum with 6 weeks @ 90% and 33 weeks at £135 pw. This is obviously just the standard allowance, but I'm due to start work again on a new contract pretty soon after bubs is born.

I don't get why they would pay me in a lump sum for 39 weeks, knowing that I'm going to be going back to work sooner than the ordinary maternity leave is up. Won't they end up just asking for most of it back?

If I get a lump sum, I'll get taxed a crapload, and I know I'll get it back at the end of the tax year but still, major bummer.

Does anyone have any experience or heard of anyone getting mat pay in a lump sum? Advice appreciated xx

 

[Mrsstuart01]

Never heard of this??!! I wonder why that is xx

 

[charliebear]

I've also never heard of this. I will continue to get paid monthly as usual when on maternity.

 

[Em91]

That's odd. I work for the county council and my Mat pay is a bit weird but it's not paid as a lump sum.

I get 6 weeks full pay on top of SMP then i get a choice of 12 weeks half pay on top of SMP or just SMP with a payment of 12 weeks half pay as a lump sum at the end of my Mat leave. I've chosen to take the 12 weeks half pay as a lump sum at the end of my mat leave just because you have to pay it back if you don't return to work and whilst i intend to go back, if for some reason i don't i dont want to have to find the money to pay back!

It seems stupid you pay you the whole 39 weeks when your planning to return before the end of that time! x

 

[Calli]

I got paid as a lump sum at the end of my contract. Then for 2 months they paid me as a freelancer until I officially finished for mat leave. I think in my case they're hedging their bets and by paying me off they haven't officially renewed my contract and can see how the land lies in a few months time. Have you been guaranteed that your contract will be renewed?


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[leesey]

No it's not been guaranteed, it's a new contract that I had to interview for, etc, so I was just offered the job over the phone when they said I'd been successful. I think HR are deliberately breaking my service so that I can't request permanency (you're entitled to a permanent post after teaching with the same local authority for a certain amount of years) but tbh I'm not that bothered about that just now, we just need to get through the next year and be able to provide for bubs.

I have no idea if they'll actually follow through with paying me in a lump sum, but DH and I discussed it last night and decided if they do pay us it all in one go, we'll get his debts paid off and if they ask for it back when I start work we'll just arrange a monthly repayment with them. So I guess it's kind of a blessing in disguise if it means being almost debt free for the next year, as it will only be my debts we're paying. That way our monthly pay can focus on household expenditure instead of bills, and maybe we can start saving

I guess with everything baby related we're just going to have to take everything as it comes, it's so hard to plan!! xx

 

[Pudds86]

the only time ive heard of this is when you are made redundant x

Sent from my shit hot phone! Fo shizzle home girls.

 

[Calli]

I feel the same. It's not ideal that they've paid me off as a lump sum (although it's nice to see it in my bank account), and I've no idea if I'll be offered a job with my old company again. But, for the moment we're just concentrating on baby and providing for him for the next year.


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[leesey]

the only time ive heard of this is when you are made redundant x

Sent from my shit hot phone! Fo shizzle home girls.

Teachers in Scotland tend not to be made redundant Pudds, I'm just not a permanent employee that's all. One contract comes to an end, then it's usually another contract or back on supply xx

 

[Doob]

I'm a teacher too but have never heard of this before, seems a bit strange. Perhaps it is linked to you being on temp contracts but it might be worth checking with your union if this has any knock-on consequences re. pensions etc. etc.

 

[leesey]

I'm a teacher too but have never heard of this before, seems a bit strange. Perhaps it is linked to you being on temp contracts but it might be worth checking with your union if this has any knock-on consequences re. pensions etc. etc.

I've decided to opt out of my pension for a year anyway, we need the money more now. It is linked to me being on a temp contract, it would be getting paid monthly otherwise. I doubt my union will take much to do with it, they've not been overly helpful throughout the whole 'HR not confirming my maternity leave' thing.

Tbh I'm just grateful for the money either way, so I guess if it comes in a lump sum I'll just have to accept it!! xx