MAT1B Form

[GingerBun]

Hi All,

Wondering if anyone has any experience with not receiving a MAT1B form in time? (25 weeks) I am now 28wks and still do not have this form!

At my 20 week appointment I asked my midwife for the form however she couldn't produce it and asked me to remind her at my 24wk appointment. My midwife didn't attend my 24wk appointment and I was left with a cover midwife. I then had an appointment at 26wks and it had completely slipped my mind because of the catching up she was doing.

Last Wednesday my employer said if I didn't produce it by the end of the week they would struggle to claim stat maternity pay for me and it would cause problems with my pay. I called my GP immediately and explained the situation who said I can only get this from my midwife. I then tried to call the community midwife team but no answer - I have left several voicemails but no one is getting back to me.

I am becoming increasingly panicked about not having this - does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do?

The dates for handing in the Matb1 are not the same date as advising them you are pregnant. Havd you already informed them of your pregnancy and when you want leave to start?

This is the info on the .gov website :

Proof you’re pregnant

You need to give your employer proof of the pregnancy to getSMP. You do not need it for maternity leave.

• Within 21 days of yourSMPstart date (or as soon as possible if the baby’s born early) give your employer either:

• a letter from your doctor or midwife
• your MATB1 certificate - doctors and midwives will give you this no more than 20 weeks before the due date

From www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/how-to-claim

@dementedpixie what an absolute angel, thank you so much.

I think I have confused myself with the gov guidelines. I have informed them I am pregnant and told them roughly when I will be starting mat leave. They said they don't mind me giving them formal notice until 4 weeks beforehand.

I will hopefully catch up with my midwife soon after xmas and get the MAT1B form then

Thank you again

The MatB1 is weirdly hard to get hold of. Every woman I've known be pregnant has struggled. I got mine from my GP. I had no idea that was a possibility until a friend mentioned it and I've passed it on many times.

This is my second baby. So I didn't have a 24/25 week appt. I asked at my 20 week scan at a very large hospital. They were... OUT???... so had to ring round the houses finally got my mw to kindly drop one at my gp surgery a couple weeks later.

Why on Earth is this so hard for everyone to get ahold of??

You aren't alone. It's pretty ridiculous.

Completely agree! It is pretty ridiculous considering you need it to claim stat maternity pay. I rang around the houses today and eventually got in touch with a community midwife team leader who has agreed to drop me one off at my GP's tomorrow that i can collect.

It has taken up too much valuable head space however!

I don't see my midwife until 28 weeks (haven't seen her since 16 weeks). No Matb1 at scan either. I called the local midwives and I am going to be picking one up from them at a local hospital 5 miles away. Glad to be getting it in time (my employer needs it by 25 weeks) but can't help but think this should be easier.

Your employer doesn't need it by 25 weeks. All they need by 25 weeks is you to tell them you are pregnant and when you want leave to start - they may want this in writing. MatB1 can be handed in later.

That's really interesting. I work for a gov dept. Our HR policy is explicit that you need to hand in a Matb1 cert by 25 weeks! I'd always assumed our policy would be aligned to central gov policy but seems it's not.
It's caused me a fair amount of stress this week trying to get hold of it and get it into our HR system by 25 weeks (LM who needs to certify it before it is uploaded is (understandably) off for three weeks for christmas).

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

Tell your employer you want to stop work to have a baby and the day you want yourSMPto start. You must give them at least 28 days’ notice (in writing if they ask for it) and proof that you’re pregnant.

Your employer must confirm within 28 days how muchSMPyou’ll get and when it will start and stop.

If they decide you’re not eligible, they must give you form SMP1 within 7 days of making their decision and explain why.

Proof you’re pregnant

You need to give your employer proof of the pregnancy to getSMP. You do not need it for maternity leave.

• Within 21 days of yourSMPstart date (or as soon as possible if the baby’s born early) give your employer either:

• a letter from your doctor or midwife
• your MATB1 certificate - doctors and midwives will give you this no more than 20 weeks before the due date

Statutory Maternity Leave

At least 15 weeks before your due date, tell your employer when the baby is due and when you want to start your maternity leave. Your employer can ask for this in writing.

Your employer must write to you within 28 days confirming your start and end dates.

you need to tell them by 25 weeks for maternity leave purposes. It does not say the same for maternity pay

www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/how-to-claim from here

I called my community midwives once I was about 23 weeks as I only actually had a face-face appointment with a midwife at 12 weeks and don't have another one until 28 weeks they sent me one straight out in the post

Hi OP, it's been a struggle for me to get the certificate too. This is my second pregnancy and I remember first time round I had to keep chasing the midwives for it!

Had my 25 week appointment cancelled and one of the community midwives was supposed to post me the certificate, didn't receive it and had to chase them up again for it today.

Just don't understand why its so hard to get a hold of!!!