Help with maternity pay please!

[maloney123]

Hello All

I am only 7 weeks so I’m getting way ahead of myself but trying to work our what maternity pay I may be entitled to is causing me some stress (and better to start planning / saving ahead right?).

My last period began on 26 August, and the NHS app has my due date as 5 June. I started work with my current employer on 1 September. According to their policy, to qualify for enhanced pay I would need to have worked there for 26 weeks before the 15th week before my due date. Does this mean I would need to have worked there for 41 weeks before my due date? If so, by my calculations this means I’ll just fall short as 26 weeks from 26 August is 24 February and 15 weeks after that takes me to 9th June. Does that sound right / wrong? Advice greatly appreciated as it makes a big difference to my finances!

It sounds a bit tight - but be aware that your 'official' due date is likely to shift slightly backwards or forwards (up to a week isn't unusual) at your 12 week scan, which may impact your calculations. I'd wait until 12 weeks and then work through again.

26 weeks from the 1st September is the 2nd March.
15 weeks before your due date is the 24th Feb so you will qualify based on lmp. Your due date will almost certainly change when you have the dating scan at around 12 weeks. I moved 4 days if you are unfortunate it could move you out of the qualifying window.

I got these dates from a time adding site. Search add dates or something like that and a few come up.

Once you get ur proper due date or even now if u want go onto gov.uk and put in calculate maternity pay it will give u dates and qualifying weeks which should help as qualifying weeks are always based on Sundays and not ur actually due date

Okay thanks all that’s helpful. I’ll hold on until the dating scan before I panic too much. Will just make a big difference if I can squeak in to qualify for enhanced pay!

Just checked the calculator for u 5th June due date means u won't qualify as has to be 26weeks from before 29th May but if ur due date changes to 7th June u should qualify. Have u had ur booking in appointment?

Hopefully your scan puts you back a couple of days OP!

Most areas won’t change unless size vary by +- 5-7 days and will stay with Edd by lmp. So if you estimate at 28 august it likely to stay and qualify.

@nicciw87 not had my booking appointment yet, it’s next Wed so will try and get some more info then.

Thanks everyone!