Maternity Pay what does your employer offer?

[cathing]

I am trying to benchmark my company's maternity policy when it comes to "topping up" statutory maternity pay and am wondering if you don't mind telling me who you work for and what enhanced maternity pay your employer currently offers. All answers will be very much appreciated!

If you would rather not give your company name, please could you tell me what region of the country you are in? I work in the East midlands so I imagine companies in London etc...may offer better benefits?

Transport for london. 26 weeks full pay, then 13 weeks statutory followed by 13 weeks nothing. I used my accrued a/l so only had 5 weeks unpaid.

I am with a large retailer in the north west. I get 3 months full pay, 6 months smp then 3 months of no pay. However my car allowance, childcare vouchers and employer pension contribution continue throughout so I don't actually have 3 months of nothing.

I work for myself and ordinarily pay more than £40k in taxes per year. The government is kindly giving me £139 per week or £83 after tax. Hence I am back at work after 4 months off.

Being self employed is great in many ways but not this...

Teacher

4 weeks full pay
2 weeks 90%
12 weeks half plus smp
Then smp only but I can remember how long for. I just took 6 months off.

Utility company in the South East. It depends on how long you've been with the company, but assuming the top level you get 14 weeks full pay and then SMP up to the six month mark.

Blimey, if you earn mega bucks you probably don't need government maternity pay!

Local County Council in south west england -
6 weeks 90% pay
6 months 50% pay + smp

Wow most people on here get more than me. I get SMP only! Due in Oct so DH and I need to start budgeting big time...

Looks like NHS, Transport for London and other public sector offer VERY good maternity pay.

Tricky my friend works for the NHS and was saying they don't get much of a good maternity package. She was very shocked when I told her I only get SMP (and how little it works out to be!).

I worked for a large high st bank and got SMP only. I now work for a large healthcare company and they only offer SMP.

Large multinational, nine months at 90% pay then three months on no pay.

We only get SMP (medium sized manufacturing co, part of a US corporation) - what drives me crazy about enhanced packages is I'm yet to meet anyone who appreciates they're lucky to have them (pp here excluded). Whatever you think about mat pay, legally the employer isn't obliged to offer anything, so I'm not going to sympathise that you are "only" on half pay!

Small start up company.
12 weeks full pay
Up to 22 weeks 75% pay
Then SMP
Plus £1000 baby bonus in month baby born.

I think this is EXTREMELY generous, even more so when considering they're a small business start up.