Mat b 1 form

[Ekphrasis]

Arse, I didn't realise this had to be in before 25 weeks?

What will happen? Now 32

Get it in ASAP. My mat b 1 went missing until I was 35 weeks pregnant and it was fine.

It's 21 days before you'd like your SMP to start :) - www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/how-to-claim

I thought the same and rushed to get mine in, but you just need to have let your employer know by 25 weeks and given them your leave date.

It's fine. I didn't return to work from mat leave no 1 until I was 26 weeks pregnant with no 2. My manager then didn't send it on to HR until I was 27 weeks pregnant.

I had the same panic but couldn't find anything definitive about what would happen if they didn't get it at 25 weeks so came to the conclusion there must be a bit of flex in the system.

Hmm...at which midwife appointment do you get this? I can't remember with my others or do I just ring the surgery and request it to be left at the reception? That seems to be ringing a bell....

Op- do your employers know when you're planning on going off?

Thanks :) yes they do know when actually, end of April.

Thanks for your replies! Phew.

My mw hasn't offered it to me and they didn't have any at the gp desk.

I wonder if they will have any at the hospital? I have a scan tomorrow.

Midwives won't give it to you before 20 weeks, and where I live you have to drive out to the nearest MLU to pick it up if you need it before 26 weeks, because you don't see the community midwife until 26 weeks. I've had it in my list of things to ask about as work want to have it, and for me to include with a form that I have to hand in 13 weeks before my expected week of confinement. By my maths this date is the Sunday 3 days before the midwife appointment when I get the MatB1 form so work have had the form without the MatB1.

I texted my midwife and she had one ready for me to pick up as i only had appointments at 16 and 28 weeks this time around.

You can also pop in to the Hospital and get one done there - you just need to take your notes and your 20 week scan.

Thanks, I'll pick one up tomorrow.

Depends where you are - I'm in south Lanarkshire and my midwife requested it at 6wks and it was posted to my house at 12 weeks.

I could get mine at 20 weeks but it wasn't routinely done for me, I had to ask for it and pick it up from my surgery.

I needed to hand it in at work by 25 weeks along with other HR paperwork. Another girl that is pregnant didn't hand hers in by 25 weeks and apparently payroll could have refused to pay her maternity pay as they didn't get it in on time. I don't think that would have happened but apparently they are within their rights to.

Does anyone medical need to sign it?

Just your midwife

Does anyone know- Is there any chance someone at the hospital could sign it? I'm not going to be able to see the mw for another 10 days due to work and their clinics. Scan tomorrow, or I see a hospital midwife at an appointment on Friday?

I only just got mine today at my routine midwife appointment and I’m 25 weeks!

I got mine at 25 week appointment. They don't issue them before here I think because they wait for you to get to 24 weeks. Anyway, it does have to be filled in by a medical person. The midwife adds her reg number thingy if she does it but I think that a doctor can also fill it in also.

Thanks, it has to be community midwife. I've phoned the gps and she's going to try to drop it off tomorrow so at least I'll get it before I'm 33 weeks!

They are valid at any time after 20 weeks. They can even be submitted postnatally!
However, you are expected to submit them to your employer about 6 weeks before you need maternity leave to give them reasonable notice to manage your leave and pay.

A lot of employers get over agitated and put pressure on employees as soon as they know they are pregnant. I had a colleague who told her manager she needed maternity leave and presented a Mat B1. Big surprise, she was well over 40 and had said she'd never wanted kids. She'd found out the day before she was 36 weeks!

It can be signed by any midwife or doctor who is involved in your maternity care, ie can declare you are pregnant and when you are due.

We had that situation at work Mayhew, she only found out very late! Thanks for your advice. My employer knows and we've arranged via email when I'm finishing etc.

Lovely mw called and has left it at reception as she happens to be covering her colleague's shift today. Panic over!