Non-contractual Work Benefits

[slc1980]

I've got a mobile phone provided by work for work purposes and they are fine with me using it for personal use too (within reason). The mobile phone is not specified in my employment contract, but I've been provided with a phone for the past 5 years. When I got on maternity, would my employer be within their rights to take it off me?

I'd have thought so. My DP works in IT for a big organisation and when someone is going off on ML for an extended period, he collects their phone and laptop so someone else can use it while they're off. That's public sector, though.