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Original poster

NHS Maternity Pay - Please Help

30 replies

HappyMondayKidz · 27/08/2019 16:25

Hello

I'm on a band 5 salary - bottom increment at £24,214. Been working for the NHS for just under 10 years, so I'm entitled to 29 days annual leave as well.

After tax, NI and pension etc, I take home about £1550 (not including any expenses accrued during that month).

Has anyone with the same salary within the NHS taken maternity and how much did you get? I can't really work it out - I think I'd like to take the full 12 months but have my pay split up over 12 months.

I just want to make sure we can afford to do it! :)

Any help much appreciated!

P.S. I know that us NHS workers are very lucky when it comes to mat leave, and I am grateful for whatever we get. I just want to see roughly how much I should expect to see if we can afford it with out outgoings! So please no hating on me :)

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Ginandtonic31 · 27/08/2019 17:02

I can't help but just wanted to say I'm in a similar boat (band 6) and just cannot work it out due to tax and NI. I think HR can tell you but it's too early for me to tell HR yet! I will keep an eye on this.

ClaraLane · 27/08/2019 17:09

It’s 8 weeks full pay, 18 weeks half pay plus SMP, 13 weeks SMP and then 13 weeks nil pay. The full pay and half pay is calculated by looking at your pay (including overtime and shift allowances) that is earned in the 8 weeks before your 25th week of pregnancy - so weeks 18-25 of pregnancy.

Be warned that if you split your payments over the whole 12 months they will be much much lower to take into account the nil pay and SMP. You will receive a pay breakdown when you start your mat leave which will show your expected pay every month you’re on leave which should help you budget. Also be aware that if you are part of any salary sacrifice schemes such as parking/childcare vouchers this will affect your maternity pay.

ClaraLane · 27/08/2019 17:12

Rough calculations on your gross salary (without taking tax, NI and pension are as follows):
8 weeks at £464.37/week
18 weeks £232.18/week plus £150/week SMP = £382
13 weeks £150/week
13 weeks nil pay

ClaraLane · 27/08/2019 17:13

If you go on listentotaxman.com/m/ you can input your expected annual salary while on mat leave and get an idea of what your deductions will be.

supercalifragilistic123 · 27/08/2019 17:25

I think you'll get about £660 a month plus smp on the months you qualify. (I think this is weeks 19-39)

My trust wouldn't split smp payments only omp payments.

I would expect you to pay little tax and ni. I think it'll be around £120 a month on the months you qualify for full smp. Don't forget you still have to make pension payments though .

So just omp months 660
Smp +omp 1180 - pension payments

Obviously they'll be some cross over months.

There's also child benefit which is £80ish a month.

Only rough calculations but I hope it helps.

Mouthfulofquiz · 27/08/2019 17:39

I would just ask HR, they will be able to break it down for you.

SRK16 · 27/08/2019 19:06

Yes ask HR they sent me forecasts for the salary split over 12 months or taken as it comes. It’s hard to work out! And pay varies each month..

Bambamber · 27/08/2019 19:18

When I worked in the NHS they sent me what I would get monthly. I got it after I had worked the qualifying period and before I went on maternity

Bambamber · 27/08/2019 19:19

it was a month by month breakdown for the whole length of my maternity

LaurenSarah22 · 27/08/2019 19:20

When you apply for it you will get a letter with a break down of how much you will receive each month. And they show you how they calculated it

ChikiTIKI · 27/08/2019 19:22

I work in finance and think we have a spreadsheet that I can use to check this. If I remember I will have a look tomorrow xxx

littlemisscynical · 27/08/2019 19:30

HR didn't send me a breakdown but the lady worked it out for me when I rang and asked. I was bottom of band 6 payscale so probably bit less to you being at the top of band 5. I'm in NI so maybe slightly less again.
I spread my payments over 9 months and got £1460 per month. I got nearly my full wage on my first months maternity because they don't spread the 90% stat you get at the beginning.
Hope that helps a bit

littlemisscynical · 27/08/2019 19:33

Sorry just seen you're on bottom of band 5. I was on £26301 when mine was calculated.

littlemisscynical · 27/08/2019 19:35

I then took a month unpaid. Then I went back and uses my annual leave to work part time for six months. Was able to do this as baby born at very beginning of new financial year. Some managers might make you use your leave differently ie before commencing maternity.

littlemisscynical · 27/08/2019 19:37

I'm an idiot sorry my pay was £1146 spread over 9 months

Original poster

HappyMondayKidz · 27/08/2019 19:44

Ah thanks all for your replies!!

Why can’t it just be simple to work out - or in true NHS style have some sort of scale where it’s all worked out for us!

I’ll get on to HR in a couple of weeks then!

@ChikiTIKI - if you could, that would be amazing! Thanks so much.

OP posts:

matlife · 28/08/2019 09:02

There is a maternity pay calculator at www.maternity.money that will calculate take home pay for you as well as gross.

It will cater for NHS maternity schemes (you need to click change assumptions after you have done the first calculation and change to "occupational" and enter NHS scheme details, also make sure you have the right holiday, pension contribution etc. entered ).

Using listen to the taxman will give you a wrong answer because that just does a "month 1" calculation which is not right if your pay changes over the year.

ChikiTIKI · 28/08/2019 16:53

Sorry I couldn't check today because I had an upgrade to Windows 10 which didn't go smoothly. I am back in work next week so will try and do it then.

Original poster

HappyMondayKidz · 02/09/2019 14:40

@ChikiTIKI did you manage to have a look today? I'm sorry to chase, I just need to start planning ahead! :) Thanks so much for helping x

OP posts:

Ginandtonic31 · 02/09/2019 15:05

@HappyMondayKidz have a look at the link someone posted previously. It's very useful.

Harriettenightingale · 02/09/2019 19:23

Thanks so much for the calculator matlife, so useful.

Original poster

HappyMondayKidz · 09/09/2019 09:34

Thanks @Ginandtonic31 I have used the calculator and it's very helpful. However, doesn't answer my question about splitting up the mat leave over 12 months.

OP posts:

20viona · 09/09/2019 10:33

My trust don't advise splitting it over the 12 months (my cousin works in payroll for us too). I'm just saving each month until I get no pay.. saying that I might go back early as may leave is super lonely!

Original poster

HappyMondayKidz · 09/09/2019 11:07

Oh I wonder why they advise not to?

OP posts:

matlife · 09/09/2019 11:46

I suspect it is because if you were to decide to return to work early then you would lose out on quite a lot of maternity pay.

Generally speaking it is better to have any money due to you sat in your bank account rather than your employers :)

It is possible that spreading it out will advantage you slightly from a tax, NI and student loan repayment perspective. (it is also possible that it will disadvantage you, but that is less likely). It depends on your individual circumstances, and is probably small enough that it should not be the deciding factor.

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