30 hours funding issue

[Fundingfairy]

I am due to return to work after maternity leave in the middle of May 2027. My baby’s due date is June 2026 my actual maternity leave is 1 year. No annual leave to use after but have some to use before, not allowed to carry this over. As far as I can see on the gov website I won’t qualify for funding until 1st Sept 2027, purely because I am not returning to work until mid May 2027. In order to qualify sooner I would have to return to work in March which I don’t want to do as I want to take 1 year. Is this correct that I would have to pay all fees myself from May, June, July, Aug?

Yes that’s correct, funding doesn’t kick in until the term after.

Any reason you can’t carry any annual leave over? You continue to accrue it during maternity leave so you will have at least 28 days to use if you take a full year.

Yes that's correct. If baby is late and born in July it will be September regardless.

Go back on 30th April to qualify. Use annual leave if needed.

Yep that's the deal...

Yes correct you need to go back earlier to qualify for those months.

I wont have hardly any A/L according to my manager as our A/L year starts 1st April. My return is middle of May, I have been told that I will only have earned a tiny amount by May. I was under the impression I could use the whole years worth on 1st April if I wanted but she is saying no. Also have 1 month of A/L from April coming just before I leave, she told me I have to take all of it before maternity leave and I can’t carry any forward. This has added up to quite a bit and I will be leaving very early on, which I am happy about but would have been nice to use some after the baby is here. It’s all such a headache and now I have only just realised this about the September funding. Gov website says I would need to return in March to qualify for April.

Yes it’s correct. Basically the start dates are 1st Jan, 1st April, 1st September, the start of the terms. If you miss the start date you have to wait until the next one to be eligible so if you go back early you can claim from 1st April but if you choose not to return until May you will have to wait until the September to be eligible.

Thank you for confirming 🙏

You accrue holiday during maternity and can carry over: https://www.acas.org.uk/your-maternity-leave-pay-and-other-rights/holiday-and-maternity-leave#:~:text=You%20still%20accrue%20(build%20up,accrue%20while%20on%20maternity%20leave.

She also told me my bank holidays could not be used so 8-10 days have not been included, they will be left unused. I work in the NHS I thought this all sounded a bit odd and I tried questioning her but she was adamant about the points raised above.

Ask your manager to put the holiday policy in writing, an email will do, not verbally. There must be a HR department that you can double check with.

If she won't email you what she has said then send her an email saying "This is what I have understood from our conversation of X date. If there is anything that I have misunderstood please let me know by Y date so that I can plan accordingly." Then use either her reply or lack of reply as a starting point for checking facts with HR and/or ACAS.

You need to return by 30th April not March as I stated in my post above. Go back 2 weeks earlier.

I’m a manager in the NHS. I have also taken NHS maternity leave. Your manager has given you incorrect information regarding accrual of annual leave on maternity leave. However just because you’ve accrued it doesn’t necessarily mean you will be able to take it all on the back end of maternity leave, although many people do. It will depend on the team you work in and if they are in a position to give you AL at that time.

Your Trust have a maternity policy which I’d recommend you read as it will state clearly what you are entitled to.

@Nickyknackered thank you this will be a great help.

@Chocolatehobnobs25 thank you, I will have another read through the policy and will clarify via email. I didn’t want to push too much at the time as she was very very sure. I will clarify the points again in an email this time. Thanks again