going back to work after maternity leave

[darlingnc]

hi everyone,

I am due to go on maternity leave on 22 may, i will be getting maternity allowance, not smp. I was wondering what would happen if I could not find an appropriate person to look after my baby when i return to work (Feb 2010), would i have to pay back the maternity allowance?What would i live on if i couldnt go back to work, pay rent etc, has any one else found themselves in a similar situation?

[redcrx]

any payments from government are not repayable if you dont return to work, but if employer paid you anything above that they could request it back.

Once baby arrives you could be entitled to tax credits (family and / or working).

you employer may run a child care voucher sceme too, where you can purchase child care vouchers from your gross wages rather than nett, thus saving the tax and NI part.

[K82]

Hi There!

I'm too taking my maternity this year, June/July & I'm due in August. However, I'm definately not going back to work & understand I don't pay a penny back to the government for this pleasure. I'm taking a year out after my maternity leave & studying at college on a fast track course for 1 year. I thought how can I pay mortgage, childcare ect (but this course I have to do to get flexable working hours which suit me & my baby). I'm not coming back to my 9 - 5 financial controlling as i'm totally burnt out. The best thing you can do which I done was find out everything you need to know before the baby comes to prevent any unnecessary worries. Call Citizens advice as they'll give you all the answer you need! Don't call the benefit lines as sometimes they don't reveal everything you can be eligible for x

[darlingnc]

K82,
thanks, i will call CAB and see what they say. Its just that my mum said she may be able to look after baby but nothing is definate yet, i just want to prepare myself for the worst senario