sister_soph Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Hello I have just had my perm visa through for a defacto visa and am 21 weeks pregnant, I am hoping to move over to aus this month (my partner is now already out their). I was counting on been able to take maternity leave (prob just the government one as am due to finish work this week so wont be able to get it from them!) and to continue to get paid into my uk account whilst i am in Oz, so that I could take 8 months off in Oz. Is this something I can do? Anyone any experience of this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scamp1976 Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 That is crime ( stealing ) and you know it. If you get caught ( and you will ) you will have to not only pay it all back, but also pay interest on it. On top of that, not only is it crime, it's fraud too, you can get charged and put into prison for something like this. Don't take the risk, it sounds good but you WILL GET CAUGHT. Especially in recession times, where everyone monitors outgoing money ( you ) like a hawk. If you want maternity leave, stay in UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest proud2beaussie Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Actually according to the UK DWP website you are perfectly entitled to continue receiving SMP even if you go abroad,at least that is my reading of this line- " I go to live abroad or visit? If you are already getting SMP and go abroad, your employer will still pay you SMP. I suggest you contact DWP through this site: Jobcentre Plus - Working Age Benefits Maternity Allowance HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OgaPoga Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 This is very interesting topic. Sister Soph - can you please let us know, what did DWP said you? I do not see it as a crime, as we have ben paying taxes in this country....but you know, better to check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mandypete Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Dont quote me on this but.... I left my job at around 20 weeks pregnant due to severe sickness and I had only started working for the company at 6 weeks in to the pregnancy... This meant that my employer could not pay Statutory Maternity Pay... Therefore there is a backup benefit MATERNITY ALLOWANCE - this is paid through the job centre and is a set figure of £117.18 per week. To be able to claim you need to have worked 26 weeks out of the 66 weeks before the baby is due... If i remember correctly you can claim this allowance from 11 weeks before the baby is due and you get it alltogether for 39 weeks... :cute: Hope this helps Mandy x:wubclub: QUOTE- If you are going abroad or have been abroad The UK has special arrangements with certain other countries that may help you to get MA if you are going abroad or if you have recently been abroad and returned to the UK. These rules may apply to you if the country concerned is a country within the European Economic Area, or Switzerland, or is a country with whom the UK has a two-way agreement on maternity benefits. These two-way agreements are with Barbados, Guernsey, Israel, Jersey, Turkey and Yugoslavia. Currently, the agreement with the former Yugoslavia is applied separately by the rebublics of Bosnia-Hercegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. If you return to the UK after working in any country of the world for your UK employer, other rules may help you to get MA. You can find out more information on how to get MA if you are going abroad from or coming to the UK by writing to: International Pension Centre Department for Work and Pensions Tyneview Park, Benton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE98 1BA Phone: 0191 218 7777 (or 44 191 218 7777 when calling from abroad) Fax: 0191 218 3836 E-mail: TVP.internationalqueries@thepensionservice.gsi.gov.uk Or you can find out more in the Visiting or living abroad section of the DWP website. If you are already getting MA in the UK and intend moving abroad you must tell the office where you claimed the date you will leave the UK and what your address will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sister_soph Posted March 3, 2009 Author Share Posted March 3, 2009 Thanks for all your advise and information - apart from Scamp1976- 'that is crime- and you know it'. If I was planning on doing a crime, i wouldnt ask for advise on here, I would just do it! Not very helpfull. Anyway I have spoken to all the helplines today, you can not receive MA in Australia there are other countries you can but Australia is not one of them. I can however receive statatory maternity pay which i should be entititled to (im just waiting to confirm it with my employer). SMP can be taken anywhere in the world. Hope it helps some others too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest proud2beaussie Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Hi I also just found this ,which may be of interest to you,if you qualify. HM Revenue & Customs: Health in Pregnancy Grant - what is it? HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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