Is it worth staying in NHS for the maternity pay?

[Eskarin]

I'm currently working for the NHS and wanting to start TTC soon. I can't try yet as I've only been in post for a short while. Unfortunately due to a break in service I've had to restart my continuous service so won't be entitled to the enhanced maternity pay for another few months. I'm getting increasingly frustrated with my department (we're constantly short staffed, the ones we do have are so burnt out they're doing bare minimum) and I just feel it's really not a great work place. The only thing stopping me looking elsewhere is the fact the NHS offer enhanced maternity pay. My thinking is I'll stick it out for now, see if we TTC relatively quickly and if we do, stay until I've had DC and then look elsewhere in the private sector.

Is it mad to stay in the NHS for a bit longer to get the enhanced maternity pay? Ideally I'd like to stay with the NHS but I can't see me working in this department for a really long time and I don't know if any other NHS trust is better tbh. Unfortunately it's a somewhat niche role so not as straightforward as just moving departments, it would need to be moving trusts and not many jobs come up.

Are you willing to share your banding? If yes, then there are calculators where you'll be able to look at/we can advise on the financial difference between NHS enhanced and not

Oh sorry that would have been helpful wouldn't it. Currently band 5 and just gone on to the mid pay step.

I think you have to stay in the NHS for at least 3 months when you return without having to pay back your mat leave. That’s how it was when I was pregnant.

Yes that's still the case @AngelDelightButNotStrawberry. Were you able to work out how much you'd actually be paid or did you have to get HR to work it out? I'm finding it difficult to work out what I'd actually get on mat leave to see if it's worth sticking it out.

https://maternitycalculator.co.uk/nhs is this any good to you? I work for the NHS and I'm currently pregnant and it seems to have calculated it right for me (I think anyway, based on my previous mat leave/pay)

Thanks! That seems to show before tax etc is deducted. Is there any way of working out the take home pay?

You’ll have to go back to the NHS after having your baby for at least three months after mat leave not to have to pay back the enhanced rate. What is your job role? I worked privately and earned a lot more so saved the surplus and used that to part fund my mat leave. I’m a nurse btw

I think I would stick it out for a few months and see what happens , maybe give yourself a deadline for how long you'll stay and if not pregnant by then start looking elsewhere.

Listentotaxman will calculate net pay if you can’t.

People saying you have to return for 3 months that’s true but remember you continue to accrue annual leave while on maternity leave so you will have about a month’s worth of annual leave to take in most cases.