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Original poster

4 days of Occupational Maternity pay!

23 replies

user1485523338 · 27/01/2017 13:30

Hi,

I'm 15 weeks pregnant and have just found out that my due date (given to me on the 13 week scan) is 4 days away from being able to claim occupational maternity pay!
My HR have told me that if my due date changes then let them know, as they will recalculate - and I'm waiting for a call back from my midwife as I have not received my MATB1 form yet.
Is there any chance of my due date changing - perhaps at my 20 weeks scan?
I'm just freaking out a bit - I don't know how we are going to cope if I'm living of statutory maternity pay!
Any advice would be greatly received :)

OP posts:

Magstermay · 27/01/2017 14:13

Oh no! That's bad timing!! I'm afraid I was told that they use the 12 week scan due date and won't change it after that. However I guess there's a chance it will vary on area.

NameChange30 · 27/01/2017 14:20

Your due date won't change. That's why they call the 12 week scan the dating scan. It's the point in pregnancy when they can date it most accurately - after that it becomes less accurate, not more so.

What is the enhanced maternity pay at your company?

SMP is 90% of your salary for the first 6 weeks and £139/week after that (for up to 39 weeks if I remember rightly).

If you earn more than your partner, you could consider shared parental leave.

And depending on your circumstances, you might be entitled to Child Tax Credits while on a lower income during maternity leave.

NerrSnerr · 27/01/2017 14:21

Unfortunately they won't change your due date now. I have just received my MAT1B form at 28 weeks, they won't issue it until after 24 weeks as that's the termination cut off date.

GreenGoblin0 · 27/01/2017 20:01

in response to PP you can get the matb1 from 20 weeks.

you have to request SMP from employer no later than 25 before expected week of childbirth which cuts it rather fine if you wait for your matb1

www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/how-to-claim

www.gov.uk/government/publications/maternity-certificate-mat-b1-guidance-for-health-professionals/maternity-certificate-form-mat-b1-guidance-on-completion

same applies for paternity pay and there was a thread recently where the father didn't submit the formal request in writing until after 25 weeks and was refused statutory paternity pay by employer

OP as others have said the due date from dating scan is the one they usually use and up to 14 weeks I think is most accurate time to date pregnancy. worth speaking to your midwife at 16 week appt in case she thinks there is flexibility to change at 20 week scan although they wouldn't usually change date at 2o week scan perhaps there is some "discretion"

GreenGoblin0 · 27/01/2017 20:03

sorry should say that cuts it a bit fine if you wait for matb1 at 25 weeks appt to apply for smp

NameChange30 · 27/01/2017 20:18

Green
From the link you shared, it looks like pregnant women have to tell their employer before 25 weeks in order to get maternity leave, but they don't have to request SMP until 28 days before they want it to start.
On the other hand, fathers do have to request statutory paternity leave and pay before 25 weeks.
And I say 25 weeks but it's actually the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth... they don't make it simple do they?!

GreenGoblin0 · 27/01/2017 21:25

God yes it is confusing. there's a calculator to work out the 25 week deadline

www.gov.uk/pay-leave-for-parents

Original poster

user1485523338 · 28/01/2017 17:02

Oh my gosh... This is just a mind field!

If I apply for SMP before I get my MATB1... Do I need something that shows/proves my due date?

I've had a rummage in all of my maternity paper work and I can't find anything that has my due date written on it. The only thing I can find is the initial report from the general midwife (when I was 8 weeks) stating a due date from my last period - that was actually wrong (as I didn't know when my last period was!).

Maybe my midwife can help me, I am waiting for her to call me back... She is a hard lady to get hold of!

Anyways - thank you for all of your replies - I have done alot of research into living of SMP - I'm not entitled to many benefits - but it is doable. It is just SO annoying that I am only 4 days away from OMP.

If my midwife can't help, I might have to go begging to my boss and she if she's feeling nice and if she can do anything ;)

OP posts:

Hellmouth · 28/01/2017 17:09

I'm not sure what you mean about apply for SMP. All I needed to do was tell work I was pregnant, send them my MATB1 form before the end of the 28th week, and tell them when I intended to start leave.

GreenGoblin0 · 28/01/2017 19:43

Hellmouth if you read the first link I posted it explains about having to apply for maternity leave by notifying your employer by 25th week. perhaps your employer is more flexible.

OP you don't need proof of due date to apply for maternity leave but do you need it to apply for smp but according to link I shared (sorry got matenity leave and smp mixed up) you only need to give 28 days notice of intention to claim smp and the date you want this to start this is when you have to provide proof of due date in form of matb1.

I would check with your employer as to their process. my employers ask for maternity leave request to be submitted by 25 weeks as per the gov.uk website. I got my matb1 from midwife at 23 weeks and submitted it with the mat leave request form but in my first pregnancy I submitted the mat leave form first and the matb1 when I got it a few weeks later.

LemonyFresh · 28/01/2017 19:49

Your due date will be in your notes, you should've got a print out of your scan details.

But for SMP the relevant information will be on your MATB1 certificate

NameChange30 · 28/01/2017 19:50

OP, you can tell your employer your due date now. You will get your MAT1B form after 20 weeks (you can request it at the anomaly scan if you want, or at your next midwife appointment) and then you can give it to your employer. As long as you give it to them by 25 weeks you'll be fine (although it would be wise to check the exact deadline using the link above).

Do you have a partner and do they work?

If you're worried about finances, I suggest you check what you'd be entitled to using an online benefits calculator e.g. www.entitledto.co.uk

SofiePendragon · 28/01/2017 20:03

Does the due date the midwife gave you at 8 weeks mean you'd get omp? My midwife told me that in my area they now use the lmp date unless the dating scan differs by more than one week - might be worth asking?

JustHappy3 · 28/01/2017 20:42

Surely your HR dept are giving you a very strong hint to email back and say oh yes i made a mistake it's actually x date?

NameChange30 · 28/01/2017 20:43

Makes no difference if OP tells them a different date, they will need the MAT1B form with the official date on it. The date on mine was from the dating scan, not LMP.

Original poster

user1485523338 · 29/01/2017 08:34

The first due date I was given means I defiantly wont be entitled to OMP, but that was guess work from when my last period was... I cannot find another due date written down on my paper work anywhere!

My dating scan verbally gave me a date (that is 4 days away from being entitled to OMP), but I cannot find a report anywhere in my notes and I defiantly wasn't given one.

My HR department do sound like they are happy to recalculate - depending on which date I end up giving them on my forms. My boss know's I'm pregnant - so I guess I need to find out when she is expecting me to request maternity leave and pay!

So I'm just hoping I can chat to my midwife before I see her next (I've had my 16 week appointment and my next appointment is at 25 weeks).
I also have my 20week scan - so maybe the ultra sounder can help?

Sigh... so confusing. But I am over the moon to be having a little gorgeous bundle and my bump has just started showing, so it's all becoming real!

Thanks for all your comments everyone - so so helpful!

OP posts:

NameChange30 · 29/01/2017 09:11

You should have got a print-out after your dating scan to add to your notes folder, and it should have your due date on it. If it doesn't have the due date on there, it will say how far along you were on the date of the scan, so you can use that to work it out. If you're still not sure, you can always ask your midwife or the sonographer at your 20 week scan.

Congratulations btw

Original poster

user1485523338 · 29/01/2017 09:23

Thanks Emma... I'm starting to get really excited now!

I have no paper work from the scan what so ever... Very weird!

Sonographer.... I knew there was a proper word for 'ultra sounder' I just couldn't think what it could be!

OP posts:

LIZS · 29/01/2017 09:28

It normally gives the duration of pg on the scan pic ie 12w 3d

GreenGoblin0 · 29/01/2017 09:36

Op they usually print out a report of the scan and staple this into your notes - this will have the due date. if not perhaps your hospital is different and they will send to midwife or out to you in the post?

it's definitely worth checking with your midwife at 16 week appt as obv due date is not an exact science but as a matter of course they wouldn't usually change it at 20 week scan as it's less accurate to date a pregnancy at this point. however as others have said your employer will go by the date that the midwife puts on the matb1 so chat to your midwife about this. I wouldn't send any other evidence of your due date to your employer as it's not necessary- the matb1 is the only thing they need to prove this.

Original poster

user1485523338 · 29/01/2017 10:08

Thanks so much GreenGoblin (great name!).

Although I'm only 15 weeks - I've already had my 16 week appointment with my midwife - So I'll have to wait untill she calls me back, or I'll give her a ring on Tuesday.

Hopefully she'll be really super nice and kind and put a date on my MATB1 that can help me. If not, it's not the end of the world if I have SMP - but obviously It would just be a lot easier to live off OMP.

Thanks everyone - This has been really helpful and reassuring!

OP posts:

holepunchkid · 30/01/2017 17:53

You'd be asking her to commit fraud on your behalf to put anything other than what is on the scan. Please don't embarrass her by doing that.

Original poster

user1485523338 · 31/01/2017 10:50

Very true. I'm just going to ask her to specifically do anything, I'm just going to ask her if there is anything she can do to help me - like I said, it's not a massive deal if I don't get OMP.
I need her help getting my MATB1 anyways, as my boss has asked me about it - And I still can't find any documents with my due date on it anyway - so it will be nice to get some reassurance from her.

OP posts:

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