Accumulating holiday whilst on maternity leave

[ThorsMistress]

Hi all. Wondering if anyone can help.

I have 3 weeks annual leave to take. I was planning on taking this before my due date so I don’t have to waste my maternity.
My general manager has now informed me that I only accumulate holiday up until maternity. And I will have to carry my holiday over to next year.
I am under the impression that I lose it as my partner has lost his before (we worked here together but he has since left)

So is he right? Or can I take my 3 weeks holiday before I go?

I'm not sure I quite understand what your manager is saying but the legal position is that you accumulate holiday at your normal rate while you are off on maternity leave, and you also accumulate bank holidays. So, if you take a year off, you come back with a full year of holiday and bank holidays to take.

My firm won't normally let you carry holiday over to a new holiday year, but if you are on mat leave then they do let you do this.

I don’t think that’s correct. I’m on mat leave, I used some holidays before I officially started M.Leave then I’ve continued to accrue them while I’ve been off.

I’m no expert though so here is the ACAS guide.
m.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4289

My company won't usually let us carry holidays over into the next year but they make an exception for holiday accrued whilst on maternity leave.
Also you did do accrue holidays and bank holidays whilst on maternity leave.
I'm due to go on maternity leave on the 23rd July but my last working day is actually 2nd July as I'm using this year (April 18-march19) annual leave beforehand.
I will them add on the bank holidays that I will accrue while I'm off onto the end of maternity so I go back May sometime.
You need to get it all in writing and signed off by your manager/hr because it's sounds like they don't really know what they're doing.
Lots of info on gov website you could show them if needs be

Just to reassure you of what others have said, as an employee, statutory paid holidays (inclusive of bank have holidays) continue to be accrued whilst you are maternity leave. A lot of the time the preference is generally to use them prior to or after your mat leave. They can’t not let you accrue them :) I work in Human Resources so this stuff is my bread and butter :)

Thank you all for your replies!

He emailed HR and they confirmed what you have all said. He did try telling me I only have 1 week but myself along with the accounts manager have worked it out as 3 so I will be taking it before my maternity starts