Average maternity packages in the UK

[Liland]

Hi all,

I'm trying to get an idea of average maternity packages women are receiving in the UK right now (above SMP), in terms of pay and time off. I've had a google, and can't come up with anything recent and/or representative. My (very small company) employers wants to discuss my maternity package very soon, and I'd like some ideas on what to suggest. They already give me an extremely flexible working life which I'm very grateful for, and they're generally very good to me.

Thanks in advance!

[Stephisaur]

I don't know if this is "typical" but the more examples you get, the better! :)

I get 8 weeks of full pay and 32 weeks of half pay. I think I can technically take up to 12 months Maternity leave, but I haven't checked because I'll be back at work before the money runs out!

I work in the family business. We don't have many staff (about 10), but we do alright for ourselves ;)

[Ploppymoodypants]

I get 8 weeks full pay, then 18 weeks half pay plus SMP, then 13 weeks SMP, and the last 12 weeks are unpaid.

Good luck

[TheWanderlust]

Working for a local authority....

6 weeks at 90% contractual wage
12 weeks at 50% contractual plus SMP
21 weeks of SMP

Total - 39 weeks paid and allowance of a further 13 weeks unpaid if you wish

[FlowerPower25]

Working for a big corporation:
30 weeks full pay
8 weeks SMP
further 12 weeks unpaid

Good luck!

[Havetothink]

I would guess it varies a lot on the company but tends to be something like a few months (3/4?) on full or 90% pay then dropping to half pay or statutory pay for another 3 months followed by unpaid time for the last 3 months.

[Jfw82]

6 weeks on full pay
33 weeks on half pay
option to take further 13 weeks unpaid

[stargirl1701]

I get 3 months full pay, 6 months SMP, 3 months unpaid. I did 10 KIT days in the last 3 months which worked out about £500 a month. Then I took my accrued annual leave after my 12 months mat leave ended.

[Bobbybobbins]

Public sector:

6 weeks 90%
20 weeks 60%
13 weeks SMP
13 weeks unpaid

[Bibijayne]

26 weeks full pay
13 weeks SMP
13 weeks nothing (though I'm doing SPL with hubbie for these so will be back to work earlier)

[butunlikely]

I get 20 weeks at 90% then SMP after that. KIT days are useful for topping up SMP in the last few months, did that last time and worked out well as I wasn't so at sea when I went back!

[Dreamingofkfc]

NHS - 8 weeks full pay, then 18 weeks half pay plus SMP. I'm taking a full year and splitting the money

[TheCag]

I’m so jealous of some people, never realised quite how bad the package is at my work.
I get 8 weeks full pay then SMP for 31 weeks.

[MillieMoodle]

Law firm when I had DS1:

6 weeks 90% pay
33 weeks SMP
13 weeks nothing
The statutory minimum!

Law firm when I had DS2:

12 weeks full pay
27 weeks SMP
13 weeks nothing

Some of these maternity pay packages are amazing!

[Notmissmoneypenny]

Public sector:

6 months full pay
3 months statutory
3 months unpaid

I’m incredibly lucky.

[GoldenWombat]

So jealous...where I live (outside the UK) it's only 45 days maternity leave

[raffat89]

I'm in the charity sector and it's:
8 weeks full pay
16 weeks half pay + SMP
15 weeks SMP
13 weeks unpaid

I do also accrue all my annual leave for the year, so that 5 weeks full pay to add on somewhere.

Hope it's helpful for working out your package.

[Thegirlhasnoname]

I work for the NHS

1 - 8 weeks: full pay minus SMP
9 - 26 weeks: half pay plus SMP
27 - 39 weeks: SMP
40 - 52 weeks: no pay

[QforCucumber]

Private Sector, Accountancy Firm, Most locally the same -

6 weeks 90% pay
33 weeks SMP
13 weeks nothing
The statutory minimum

[Mississippilessly]

I wish I hadn't read this!
6 weeks full
12 weeks half
21 weeks SMP

However, due to odd working patterns I can increase this and get an extra 8 weeks full pay.

[Liland]

Great information, thanks! I hadn't heard of KIT days before either so that was useful to read about.

They've made it pretty clear they want me to be off for several months at full pay (how many months is what we need to discuss) and then to return to work as normal. Childcare isn't an issue as I work from home. But they won't require me to travel for 12 months (I'm out of the country for 1-7 nights most months). The full pay is kind of their bargaining chip to make sure I'm not off for too long as the business doesn't really work without me, which is fine, as we couldn't afford the mortgage without my wages anyway (I earn a lot more than DP, and he doesn't want us depleting my savings or to increase our mortgage term). No one counts my holiday time either so there's not really an option to tack on some extra at the end! It's a bit of an unusual situation, and I'm just keen for it to be fair and practical to my employers and my brand new family.

[Hamiltoes]

I get 6 months full pay 6 months half pay + SMP. Its a mid size engineering company with a tiny minority of women though, so perhaps it's so good because it happens once in a blue moon.

[ClarkWGriswold]

Hi OP. I work in the public sector with more than 1 year of continuous service (well 12 actually but only one counts!) and both times my maternity entitlement was a follows:
4 weeks at full pay
2 weeks at 90% of full pay
12 weeks half pay plus lower rate of SMP
21 weeks at lower rate of SMP

So 39 weeks so kind of payment.

For public sector it is surprisingly ungenerous.

[Hamiltoes]

Should add the most I've ever taken is 5 months, I'm ashamed not using it now I've realised just how amazing it was- I thought this package was pretty standard

[IMissGin]

First mat leave: 6 weeks 90% then SMP so legal minimum

Second mat leave: 6 weeks 90%, next 20 weeks 50% then SMP, one month salary return to work bonus

Current policy although not pg (same company as second mat leave): 5 months full pay then SMP, 1-3 months return bonus dependant on length of service

[laptopdisaster]

No one counts my holiday time either

are you employed? If so you need 5.6 weeks annual leave (pro rata and including BH) - anything less is illegal.