Holiday and Maternity

[babysbreath]

I'm wondering if anyone could help with my query with regard to holiday and starting my maternity.
My holiday starts at the beginning of the year (January) and I'm allowed 25 days, and my EDD is 21 June.
My questions are:
Do I have to take all 25 days prior to going on maternity leave?
If I start taking my holiday on 14 May and the 25 days should take me to 18 June and then I start my maternity leave - what happens if the baby comes early, do I forfeit my holiday?
I'm so confused on how it all works - can anyone shed any light.
All help so very much appreciated.

I have to take all my holiday before my maternity because i won't be back until next year. My company doesn't pay if i don't use it either. I'm not complaining i think it's great all this holiday, fab!

If you take holiday and the baby comes early (ie. whilst you're still nominally on holiday) maternity leave kicks in and you will lose that holiday. Whether or not your company will let you carry over any unused holiday into the next year is up to them, I guess, but if you're planning on going back and they're understanding they might. Otherwise, you have to take all your holiday before going on maternity leave. I used it to work part-time (ie. had one day off each week) for the last month or so before ds was born.

Might be best contacting whoever does HR for your company?
I have a feeling though, that, legally holiday can't drop below 20 days a year (if you're full time) but how that holiday is taken etc depends on the company.
For example, I also get 25 days a year (Jan - Dec) which I can take before I go on mat leave, after I come back (including carrying it into next year) or they will buy it off me.
I agree with Mumpbump - I think having the baby would start your mat leave, but it may be that you can carry any holiday you haven't taken?

my company ask that you take them all before going on maternity.

Depends on the company - I was allowed to carry my full allowance over, as long as I used it in the year of my return. Do you have an HR department?

Thank you for all your responses, I'm going to see HR next week, so will hopefully sort it all out then.

Gosh, and the next question I'm asking myself is when is the right time to give up work!

I have spoken to our HR dept about a similar thing and I can carry over a certain amount of days as I'll be off for half my leave year and when the new leave year clicks over, but they've encouraged me to take as much as I can before I go on Mat leave as I'm only technically allowed to carry over 9 days. They can make allowances, but don't have to.

Once again, thank you for your responses.

I've spoken to my HR Dept. I'm very lucky, I don't have to take all my holiday if I don't want to and they will pay me instead. Also, if I want to take all my holiday and the baby comes early, my maternity leave starts the day after the baby is born and they will pay me any remaining holiday outstanding.

Wow, I sooooo very pleased.