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Maternity and benefits in Scotland


magda18 1 | -  
3 Aug 2009 /  #1
I have been living in Scotland for 2 years now and have been working for the same company for 8 months. I am 5 months pregnant and wish to go on maternity leave. However I have been asked to get a home office number. I did not know I had to apply for the Workers Registration Scheme but am trying to do so now to claim for my benefits. My employer is unhappy as they had asked me in the past but I did not think I had to apply before and is concerned that I am not working legally and they will now be fined. I have been receiving payslips for the last 8months and paying tax so I should be working legally. Has anyone else been in similar situation and can give advice.
tornado2007 11 | 2,270  
3 Aug 2009 /  #2
Hay Magda i sent you some information, advice via PM, i hope it helps
ShelleyS 14 | 2,893  
3 Aug 2009 /  #3
@magda18

Depending on the company will depend on how they deal with you, in England you have to be with a company for 6 months (not pregnant) before you can claim maternity benefits, so if it works the same in Scotland then the company is not legally obliged to pay you anything above the statutory payments. Also you are only allowed a certain amount of paid maternity leave, if you wish to go off on mat leave at 5 months pregnant then you'll only have maybe 4 months off with the baby before they stop paying maternity pay.

As for you not being registered with the WRS, your employer could get in trouble for employing without all the correct paperwork.

Not sure you're going to be eligable for a penny. You didnt play by the rules, so you may lose out.

Statutory Maternity Pay
You can get Statutory Maternity Pay if you have been working for the same employer for at least 26 weeks, by the time you are 15 weeks away from the date your baby is due. This means that you must have worked for the same employer throughout your pregnancy. You should also earn at least as much as the lower earnings limit each week. The lower earnings limit is the level of wages where national insurance contributions start.

Statutory Maternity Pay is paid by your employer if you are away from work to have a baby. It can be paid for up to 39 weeks.

RevokeNice 15 | 1,854  
3 Aug 2009 /  #4
Two years? The words milking and system spring to mind.
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
3 Aug 2009 /  #5
I read today that the UK government will be issuing information, for foreign nationals, on how to claim. The coffers must be overflowing.
RevokeNice 15 | 1,854  
3 Aug 2009 /  #6
Wroclaw

Fools and their money are easily parted.

Harry

Shes in the country a wet day and is expecting the British taxpayer to subsidise her. It is quite cheeky, I would never sponge off a foreign state. I have morals.
szarlotka 8 | 2,208  
3 Aug 2009 /  #7
Look on the positive side. She has been paying tax and NI contributions for I presume 2 years. There are a load of nationals who have never paid a penny into the coffers but have taken loads out.
Harry  
3 Aug 2009 /  #8
Such as RevokeNice.
RevokeNice 15 | 1,854  
3 Aug 2009 /  #9
szarlotka

So now the British taxpayer should subsidise her? It is not right.

Harry

Really, my recent payslip says otherwise.
szarlotka 8 | 2,208  
3 Aug 2009 /  #10
As for you not being registered with the WRS, your employer could get in trouble for employing without all the correct paperwork.

It's up to a £5,000 fine for the employer and all work up to now does not count towards the 12 months qualification period under WRS. You are supposed to rgeister within one month of starting a job but not before you start a job. The employer is supposed to provide a written confirmation of the job but the repsonsibility for registering lies with the individual.
RevokeNice 15 | 1,854  
3 Aug 2009 /  #11
A JUDGE yesterday launched a blistering attack on Britain's *"desperate" immigration *policy and the Government's failed welfare system.

He slammed policies that allow hundreds of thousands of foreigners to stream into the country to sponge off benefits.

Judge Ian Trigger also savaged the delay in kicking immigrants out of the UK once it had been ruled that they were here illegally.

And he condemned the country's massive welfare system for lavishing billions on immigrants.
Wroclaw 44 | 5,379  
3 Aug 2009 /  #12
telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/5965963/Migrants-to-get-tips-on-claiming-benefits-on-path-to-citizenship.html

about what I said earlier.

Immigrants are to be given tips on how to access benefits and other public services - and learning how to claim will even help them earn British citizenship, under Home Office proposals.
RevokeNice 15 | 1,854  
3 Aug 2009 /  #13
Wroclaw

Madness. Sheer bloody madness.
szkotja2007 27 | 1,498  
3 Aug 2009 /  #14
Magda - this link might be useful.
direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/index.htm

Scotland also has excellent maternity services in their hospitals.
RevokeNice 15 | 1,854  
3 Aug 2009 /  #15
To the OP,

Apologies if I came across a tad bit harsh, you are pregnant and it was uncalled for.

Again, I apologise.
Mister H 11 | 761  
6 Aug 2009 /  #16
Well she never came back for any of the advice she sought in her first post, which always makes me think of someone registering purely so that they can stir the pot with a made up situation.

Have you noticed that everyone that seems to make their first post a "please help me!" type post is either pregnant and/or about to get married for immigration related reasons ?

Most of the advise that comes back is often found via google anyway, so maybe people should do that first instead.

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