Has anyone else Switched NHS Employers during pregnancy? Messages of hope

[Lunadips]

Hi all, I’m pregnant and in the middle of moving trusts. Despite over 10 years continuous service I will not be eligible for SMP and only MA. I wonder if others have done the same and how you managed financially with MA and no SMP? I need some hope! I am moving as my partner works in a different city that’s not commutable. We were thinking of sharing parental leave but I’m a bit worried I will miss out on so much precious baby time if I return to work sooner than I would like.
The other part of this thread is a bit of a moan that the government sees my two trusts as different employers ☹️
Thanks for your help 😊

I thought it was any nhs employer, as long as it was continuous service? :(

So you’ll not get SMP but you will get full continually service pay, and Maternity Allowance. I did the same thing. Have a look at A4C.

And bloodyworried did you manage financially? Also when did you let your new imemplpyer know you were pregnant? I was thinking of telling them on my first day

Are you sure op? I thought the nhs classed as one employer?

My OH switched trusts whilst pregnant with our first one.
She didn't tell them until she was 24 weeks as that's when you are legally required to. (She was concerned they'ed front load all her night shifts, weekends and long days)
The trust didn't pay her maternity pay so she had to get the government mat allowance.
She also lost her holiday that she accrued during her mat leave as she had switched trusts during her mat leave.
Needless to say she has used it this time as she is in the same trust, she was actually technically on holiday when DS2 was born (mat leave started the following week) she has 6 weeks holiday to take at the end of her mat leave which is already booked

When I was on maternity allowance I got paid it like a benefit. Then I got paid my employers schrmr minus smo. I got more than my actual pay.

MA is exactly the same as SMP, you just claim it a little differently. You'll still be entitled to your occupational maternity pay because swapping trusts is considered continuous service. I did it no problem (started at my new trust at 12 weeks), those who told you otherwise for screwed over, read the policy on the NHS emploers website

Agree, I did this some years ago (now have teenagers). The NHS component of the pay is the same, it is just that the statutory part is paid as MA direct to you rather than reimbursed to the employer as SMP. You should be fine.

(Actually I also ended up moving trusts after my maternity leave, without difficulties - that was still the days of 6 month SHO jobs).

I did this recently and was entitled to OMP and SMP. The only slight complication (which ended up being resolved) was that my old Trust was responsible for SMP and my new one OMP, so I could have ended up with two payments, but my new trust agreed to pay both, I believe because they can "claim back" SMP anyway.

Have you checked the contractual mat pay policy? Trusts can change this themselves and the last one I was at didn't let you qualify for contractual pay if you started there when pregnant. Worth double checking because I was shocked they could override continuous service like that, but they did.

Oh really OrcinusOrca, thanks I will look into that.

Whitescarf If you change trusts the HMRC counts these as two employers. So you still get maternity leave as per continuous service but if you get SMP it MA depends on a qualifying period of weeks in your new trust.