Mothers and Maternity Leave – The Facts

Becoming a mum is probably the biggest change you’ll ever experience. Among all the other things, you’ll need to think about your maternity leave and pay, but don’t let money worries spoil the time with your new baby. Free and impartial advice is available from the Money Advice Service.

If you work, you’ll be entitled to some sort of maternity leave. Depending how long you’ve been with your employer, you may be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). SMP is paid for up to 39 weeks and is 90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks, and £138.18 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks. It’s paid in the same way as your wages and tax and National Insurance will be deducted. If you don’t qualify for SMP, you’ll get Maternity Allowance and you may be eligible for maternity benefits or even a Sure Start grant.

You’ll also get time off to have your baby and to spend time with the new little one. You have to take at least two weeks, or four if you work in a factory, and you can have up to 52 weeks. From 2015, you’ll be able to share your parental leave and pay with your partner. There’s loads of information and advice about pay, leave and the forthcoming changes to parental leave available at www.gov.uk.

Many people choose to wait until after their 12 week scan to tell people outside of their very close circle of family and friends, but when should you tell your employer? Legally you must tell your employer of your intention to take maternity by the 15^th week before your baby is due, but it’s probably a good idea to tell your manager sooner than this. Not only as it helps you both plan for your maternity leave, but your employer’s specific duty of care for pregnant employees doesn’t take effect until you have told them you are pregnant. You are also entitled to time off for antenatal appointments, and may need some additional support to help with the aches and pains, and morning sickness of pregnancy. The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) has helpful advice about talking to your employer.

In 2014, new rules were introduced which mean that, providing you’ve completed 26 weeks of service with an employer, you can request flexible hours. Employers don’t have to agree to the request but they do have to give a reasonable business reason for refusing. Working flexiblycould mean reducing or changing your hours, job-sharing or working from home. You’ll need to plan when to approach your employer and make sure your request is reasonable.

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