Maternity and benefits in Scotland

magda18:

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.

magda18Threads: 1 Joined: Aug 3, 09	Aug 3, 09, 02:22 / #
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.

tornado2007Threads: 20 Posts: 3,497 Joined: Jul 11, 07	Aug 3, 09, 03:19 / #
Hay Magda i sent you some information, advice via PM, i hope it helps

ShelleySThreads: 18 Posts: 3,647 Joined: Jun 26, 07	Aug 3, 09, 10:41 / #
magda18: 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. 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.

RevokeNiceThreads: 21 Posts: 2,765 Joined: Jun 20, 09	Aug 3, 09, 17:47 / #
Two years? The words milking and system spring to mind.

WroclawThreads: 77 Posts: 7,404 Joined: Apr 1, 06 [Moderator]	Aug 3, 09, 18:50 / #
RevokeNice: The words milking and system spring to mind. I read today that the UK government will be issuing information, for foreign nationals, on how to claim. The coffers must be overflowing.

RevokeNiceThreads: 21 Posts: 2,765 Joined: Jun 20, 09	Aug 3, 09, 18:53 / #
Wroclaw Fools and their money are easily parted.

RevokeNiceThreads: 21 Posts: 2,765 Joined: Jun 20, 09	Aug 3, 09, 19:02 / #
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.

szarlotkaThreads: 14 Posts: 3,349 Joined: Feb 20, 07	Aug 3, 09, 19:04 / #
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.

HarryThreads: 62 Posts: 8,508 Joined: May 2, 07 [Suspended]	Edited by: Harry Aug 3, 09, 19:05 / #
szarlotka: There are a load of nationals who have never paid a penny into the coffers but have taken loads out. Such as RevokeNice.

RevokeNiceThreads: 21 Posts: 2,765 Joined: Jun 20, 09	Edited by: RevokeNice Aug 3, 09, 19:06 / #
szarlotka So now the British taxpayer should subsidise her? It is not right. Harry Really, my recent payslip says otherwise.

RevokeNiceThreads: 21 Posts: 2,765 Joined: Jun 20, 09	Aug 3, 09, 19:16 / #
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. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/...ndal-by-Judge-

WroclawThreads: 77 Posts: 7,404 Joined: Apr 1, 06 [Moderator]	Edited by: Wroclaw Aug 3, 09, 19:27 / #
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/5965963/Migrants-t o-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.

szkotja2007Threads: 38 Posts: 2,544 Joined: Dec 29, 06	Aug 3, 09, 19:31 / #
Magda - this link might be useful. Maternity Scotland also has excellent maternity services in their hospitals.

Mister HThreads: 11 Posts: 845 Joined: Jan 4, 08	Aug 6, 09, 15:25 / #
RevokeNice: To the OP, Apologies if I came across a tad bit harsh, you are pregnant and it was uncalled for. Again, I apologise. 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.

szarlotkaThreads: 14 Posts: 3,349 Joined: Feb 20, 07	Aug 3, 09, 19:14 / #
ShelleyS: 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.

RevokeNiceThreads: 21 Posts: 2,765 Joined: Jun 20, 09	Aug 3, 09, 19:30 / #
Wroclaw Madness. Sheer bloody madness.

RevokeNiceThreads: 21 Posts: 2,765 Joined: Jun 20, 09	Edited by: RevokeNice Aug 3, 09, 20:16 / #
To the OP, Apologies if I came across a tad bit harsh, you are pregnant and it was uncalled for. Again, I apologise.