Shared Parental Leave - anyone?

[FirstTimeBumps]

Has anyone any experience with SPL? My other half would like to take a month off when baby arrives and was going to take PP plus two weeks holiday but I suggested he take SPL so it's guaranteed. He knows he won't get his full pay like if he had taken holidays. I'm just not sure now if he would have to take 4 weeks SPL or if he would get two weeks paternity and then convert to shared?

If anyone could clarify I would be very grateful

Sorry. I have another question. With regards to the first six weeks that I am paid at 90% of my earnings, do I still receive that if I convert to SPL and ShPP, because from what I can tell we cannot take shared PL until I have stopped my SMP.

You get your maternity pay whilst on maternity leave but as soon as you go on SPL you curtail your maternity leave and also therefore the pay. If you curtail your maternity within those 6 weeks then you won't be entitled to the maternity pay, just whatever your SPP entitlement is.

As @Mingasauros said check your company policy as moving into SLP could sacrifice your maternity entitlement so could leave you worse off financial if you do it while you are entitled to anything more than statutory.
We plan on DH taking 2 weeks paternity (they give him 2 weeks at full pay) and two weeks holiday so he is off for a month. Then a month at 8 months proceeded by a weeks holiday so he will have 5 weeks in total. I'm hoping to take two weeks holiday so we will be off together for two weeks but ill techincally be back at work so being paid.
I'm now considering taking the two weeks after my holiday as KIT days (or the SPL) equivalent so I only go back 3 days for two weeks (so wont be on full salary) then back properly using my holiday to go in at 4 days a week for a month or so. Pretty complicated but I think being creative will mean I can break into going to back to work gently and DH will get some meaningful time with the baby at both ends!

@ND348 our company doesn't have those policies so it's just SMP at 90% for six weeks followed by the basic rate of 140ish for the remaining 33 weeks, be it maternity if shared. Think I'm going to take the six weeks of maternity, starting four weeks before my due date so at the 90% before converting to shared two weeks after due date, which will coincide with when his paternity leave would finish. I will then take the next six months off on shared, with him also take the two weeks immediately following his paternity as shared leave. On my return after six months he is going to take the remaining five weeks of shared leave. Thanks for everyone's advice

Sounds like a great plan @FirstTimeBumps.
Wishing you all the very best. You'll enjoy this lovely time!