Statutory Maternity Pay

I am going on Mat leave end of April, only entitled to SMP therefore will be below the £12500 tax free allowance Just checked my government gateway and it reflects that I will earn my full wage during the next tax year. I have since updated this to reflect the correct amount of total annual leave and smp. Does my employer has to update anything on HMRC side to say I will be earning less than normal due to SMP? They say they can’t inform HMRC that I will have a year off as it is my choice as to when I will return to work. I’m worried I will end up overpaying tax. Any advise?

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You don’t even have to notify HMRC, it adjusts itself as usual.

If you do overpay you’ll get a rebate as well

Here’s me only getting £700pm from the government when I’ve got a mortgage/ baby/ dog / car to pay for cos the company I work for went bust just after I went on leave 😭

Thank you, I know I would get it back just don’t want to be in that situation! It will be tight as it is!

If you do overpay they will normally send you a refund the following April Alternatively you can call the tax office yourself and discuss it

@Emily I am sorry to hear that your company went bust, SMP and Maternity Allowance does not feel enough to support a family in addition to all the other things we must think of as new mothers. I hope this changes in the future for when my babies have babies 😓

@Amy yeah it’s so tough at the moment 😔 I live with my partner but he doesn’t earn enough to pay for my shortfalls but I wouldn’t want him to either as that’s not his job. My parents were my employers and because I only get £350 mat allowance every two weeks they agreed to pay me an extra £700pm so I could afford to live. So obviously that didn’t happen cos now I only get the mat allowance which is impossible to live on as my contribution to house bills alone is £600 and that’s without a food shop 😭

@Emily you must be super worried! In the middle of everything there is a little one that relies on you a need care, I hope that things improve x

I didn’t do anything with HMRC. I just left it to my employer. You shouldn’t pay any tax or NI. I was over the threshold before I went on maternity and didn’t pay and tax or NI

I called HMRC and got my tax code changed as I was going on maternity at the start of April. I didn’t get taxed throughout my Mat leave. Don’t know if I had to do that or not, but I did and it worked!

You don't need to do anything, I didn't. My employer automatically gave me abit of a tax rebate in my payslip recently, and I didn't pay any tax whilst I was receiving SMP

I just came across this petition ❤️ https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/715292

Thank you Sammie have signed it!

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