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Original poster

Civil service maternity pay

31 replies

TreasureInMyTummy · 27/05/2018 21:16

Hello, I am hoping someone may be able to advise me.

I am currently on maternity leave. I got six months full pay, 3 months smp and 3 months none pay. ( it's actually worked out in weeks but I tend to think in months as easier)

I am due to go back from maternity leave October 2018 and I will then take annual leave until January 2019.

I would like to try to get pregnant to have a close age gap between siblings but not sure when is the right time to get full maternity pay for six months again.

I work in the civil service and I am confused about the hr policy wording - ' the he service centre will determine your continuous paid service in the civil service as at 15 weeks before ewc.... for this purpose only we will treat any previous additional (unpaid) maternity leave ... as continuous paid service'

I don't know whether that means my six months paid maternity leave counts as continuous service or it only starts from when my 3 months unpaid leave started.

It goes on to say 'if at 15 weeks before your ewc you have continuous paid service of at least 52 weeks ( and you are being paid at the start of your maternity leave ) then you may take up to 26 weeks contractually paid maternity leave. '

So I am trying to work out what counts as paid service to work out when I can start trying to get pregnant. If only unpaid maternity leave counts then I couldn't try to get pregnant until after feb 2019.

If paid maternity leave counts as paid service then I could try to get pregnant after June 2018 so that I would be at least 16 weeks pregnant when I return to work for smp purposes.

I wish the guidance was easier to understand - can anyone help? Does full pay maternity leave count as paid service?

Thank you

OP posts:
RandomMess · 27/05/2018 21:25

Paid leave counts as continuous service, it has to as you are entitled to all the usual benefits of being employed!

Original poster
TreasureInMyTummy · 27/05/2018 21:27

Thanks Random, I thought that but it's just the policy guidance having 'unpaid' in brackets in their definition that's worrying me x

OP posts:
AssassinatedBeauty · 27/05/2018 21:30

All they're saying is that the period of time at the end of your mat leave where you're not getting any pay, actually counts as paid service. But only for the purposes of working out what leave you're entitled to for a subsequent pregnancy.

Then separately they're saying that as long as you have 52 weeks of paid service, and are also being paid, when you're 15 weeks before you're due date, then you can take the 26 weeks paid leave.

6 months at full pay is an amazing maternity pay deal btw.

Fatted · 27/05/2018 21:30

I'd take if from the wording that ANY maternity leave counts as continued service.

I work in the public sector and I'm sure Maternity leave counts as continuous service for us.

RandomMess · 27/05/2018 21:31

Surely AML counts anyway because you are also entitled to usual rights apart from pay...

I think it's in there to make it clear that AML attracts the rights the same rights as OML to save being asked about it.

DrWhy · 27/05/2018 21:32

I think they assume that it’s clear that your paid maternity period is contractual service and they are clarifying that the unpaid bit also counts.

Original poster
TreasureInMyTummy · 27/05/2018 21:43

Thank you everyone that's hopeful... though of course now I just need to keep hopeful I can get pregnant again :)

( also I know and appreciate six months full pay is generous, it's one of the reasons I've stayed in the civil service xx)

OP posts:
pastabest · 27/05/2018 21:47

What everyone else has said is correct.

The thing to watch out for with a small age gap is to make sure you are being paid a wage of some sort in your 8 qualifying weeks (17-25) for the next lot of maternity pay.

I will have a 16 month age gap and only finished maternity leave for DC1 at about week 19 of my second pregnancy, fortunately my 'wage' (actually annual leave) for the remaining 6 weeks was still greater on average over the 8 weeks than the SMP qualifying minimum.

Had DC2 been due a few weeks sooner though it could have got a bit close for comfort.

Original poster
TreasureInMyTummy · 27/05/2018 22:15

Thanks pasta, it's so complicated ( or at least it seems so to me!)

I wouldn't probably start trying until August so if I was lucky enough to get pregnant first time I would be back at work by week 8ish so should be fine for that . Xx

OP posts:
Samesituation · 31/05/2018 20:04

I think you should be ok. If it helps I used to work in civil service, i went back to work after my 1st baby, fell pregnant with no.2 in my first month back. So i went back for the 9 months of my pregnancy and was still entitled to the 6 months full pay with no.2.

DaniHarrison · 19/08/2018 19:52

Hi, can I just ask!

I’m due to start in the civil service soon, I hope. Just undergoing security clearance which can take a little while.

Thing is I’m desperate for another baby. The only reason for my move is because I’m being made redundant in my current role.

Can anyone help with how long I’d have to be employed in the civil service until I’m entitled to maternity pay? In a rather old document online (the only source I’ve been able to find) I’ve read that you need to have 52 weeks service up until the 14th week before the baby is due. Call me dense but I can’t work out how long that means I need to work for them. Does it mean 27 weeks minimum until I get pregnant? Then the remaining 25 weeks of pregnancy will lead up until until I’m 14 weeks before my due date and in term make up the 52 weeks service?

Many thanks!

RandomMess · 19/08/2018 20:32

In my head I calculate it as at least 27 weeks until falling pregnant. Be careful not get caught out by your due date being to early etc. Personally I'd work seven months before binning contraceptives.

Although what is the difference between statutory and enhanced - it isn't likely to be that much?

IrenetheQuaint · 19/08/2018 20:38

The difference between statutory and enhanced maternity pay in the civil service is massive! A civil service friend of mine accidentally got pregnant just before she would have been entitled to enhanced maternity pay- she was delighted about the baby but sick as a parrot that she missed out on 6 months full pay.

DaniHarrison · 19/08/2018 20:44

Yeah the pay difference is massive. About £900 less for stat.

Yes I think to be safe I won’t start trying until my sixth/seventh month in. It’s better than having to wait a whole 52 weeks before falling pregnant.

Lazypuppy · 19/08/2018 21:17

@DaniHarrison i just emailed my HR department (DBS) with my strt datea etc and asked what dates would mean i would be entitled to the enhanced pay. Easiest way

missfit86 · 02/10/2018 16:49

Hi everyone. Can you please help me? I’ve tried to find guidance on maternity pay but haven’t had much luck and what I have found, I haven’t really understood it!! I started working as a civil servant at the end of July this year. My husband and I are hoping to try for a family soon but I can’t work out how long I’d need to be in the role to get the maximum maternity amount. Can anyone help? I’m full time. TIA

CabinFever674 · 02/10/2018 18:23

@missfit86 I think you basically have to have been in a year before you go on mat leave. That's how I read it. Policy should be on your intranet page somewhere!

missfit86 · 02/10/2018 18:34

Hi, thanks for your reply. So that means that we could start trying mid November then as that would be a due date of beginning of Aug next year? That would mean I’d have been working for 3.5 months before trying. I thought people above were saying wait until 6/7 months? Or is that just to ensure it’s not born early etc? Thank you

spannerintheneck · 30/04/2019 17:38

Anyone still active in this thread? Does anyone know of the enhanced maternity pay is effected by promotion within civil service less than 6 months ago? Or would that not affect the enhanced? I have been in service for over 5 years but took promotion 5 months ago, if I was pregnant now would I get my full current pay for 6 months?

DigiEm · 13/06/2019 06:43

Hi Spanner,

From what I’ve been told you would be classed as continuous service so should qualify.

I’m looking at civil service role but also desperate for a baby and have found out need to be in the role a year before would qualify for the 6 month. Now I’m stuck on if I should stay in a job I hate to get 10 weeks full paid if I fall soon or jump ship to be happier

gothicsprout · 13/06/2019 15:02

@spannerintheneck I recently got promoted one month before going on maternity leave and HR confirmed I would be paid my new salary for the first 6 months (also have years of continuous service), so I would have thought you’d be fine.

BDodd21 · 21/08/2019 21:28

Hi all, unsure if anyone is still active on here but I’ll post just incase. Myself and my partner have discussed having a baby for a while now and weve decided now is a good time. However I have just seen a job come up on promotion that I would love! but it’s in a different organisation. I work for the civil service and it’s still a job within the civil service but for a different organisation but don’t want to go for it if I will have to start my service again to be entitled to my mat pay if that makes sense. Has anyone moved organisations and got pregnant quite quickly etc? Any help would be great. Thanks!

Ayuree · 22/02/2020 02:19

Hi All, I appreciate this is an old thread. But I recently accepted a civil service job offer and found out I was pregnant prior to the start date. My start date is 2/3/2020 and I am 5 weeks pregnant now. What maternity cover would I be entitled to? Any advice would be amazing!

Darbs76 · 22/02/2020 08:09

Hi, I’m in the civil service too, though it was 12yrs ago my last baby. If you got promoted before you go off you’ll get the extra pay during Mat leave. We have had an ongoing issue with someone who got a promotion but due to various reasons by the time she was given a start date (internal move) for her new promoted role she was going off on Mat leave. She didn’t get her enhanced pay as she hadn’t started but HR confirmed she should have got it, so she is being repaid. So if you’ve already started in the role then you will definitely be ok.

6 months full pay is really generous and I don’t know anyone who got better than that when I had my babies. I took 6 months paid and 6 months unpaid with DS1, but DD I took just the 3 months extra so 9 months. By the time I had DD it had changed so I was paid 3 months statutory aswell so which was even better so I decided to go back at 9 months as it was really hard to settle DS2 into nursery as he was quite attached to me.

Good luck with the babies

Darbs76 · 22/02/2020 08:09

@Ayuree - you need to be there 1yr before qualifying I believe - check your contract or give HR a call to clarify

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