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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Maternity Pay

22 replies

Amtheyest17 · 01/09/2021 14:27

Hi,

So I’ve been told that my mat leave has to start the day I give birth - does anyone know if this is literal? Or does this go off your due date on your certificate? I ask because I’m due the day I qualify for maternity pay at work! I thought I could just use holiday to carry me over but apparently not!

Really stressing about it!

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clolo · 01/09/2021 14:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JennaPenna · 01/09/2021 14:32

So you can get it start from your due date if that's when you qualify from.
Use holidays before hand

BikeRunSki · 01/09/2021 14:35

If you havn’t already started mat leave (on mat pay, nit using annual leave before hand) it must start on the day your baby is born.

BikeRunSki · 01/09/2021 14:35

It can’t start after the baby is born, regardless of due date.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 01/09/2021 14:37

Yeah, sadly it has to start once the baby is born, there's no way to delay it. You can choose an earlier date, but not a later one.

Your due date won't come into it - only 4% of babies are born then anyway - but really it's a guestimation of when to expect the baby, and something that gives you a bit of a barometer over when you might want to take leave/pay etc, but it'll be overridden by your baby's actual birth date.

Is it your first? I've been told that you're statistically more likely to go overdue than have a first baby early, so hopefully you'll be okay.

Moominmiss · 01/09/2021 14:37

You can plan for it to start at your due date, but as a previous poster said, if baby arrives earlier then your maternity leave will have to automatically start from that date instead.

For example my maternity leave is set to begin tomorrow on 2nd September. As it happens I’m having a c section on 3rd September so it’s ok. But if baby decides to make an appearance today then my leave would be brought forward to begin today.

Aquarius93 · 01/09/2021 14:48

Is this enhanced maternity pay or statutory?

If it’s statutory maternity pay then it shouldn’t matter when you start your maternity leave as the eligibility is based on the expected week of childbirth.

Sunshinebrunshine · 01/09/2021 14:52

Does the birth date have any effect of your entitlement? All I've seen are best on the expected date of birth and not the actual birth date

Original poster

Amtheyest17 · 01/09/2021 15:00

@Aquarius93 it’s enhanced!

@Sunshinebrunshine for me it will, if I give birth earlier then the 14th then won’t be entitled to enhanced mat pay as won’t have been at the company long enough.

Thank you everyone for all the replies! It seems I won’t know until the baby is here whether I will qualify - fingers crossed they’ll come on their due date or later 😂

I’m just very frustrated - we’ve held off all year so I would qualify but didn’t realise holiday wouldn’t count - that was my safety net!

OP posts:

Ginfilledcats · 01/09/2021 15:04

Usually the qualifying period is til your due date. So if your due date is the 14th and that's the qualifying date then you're fine, even if you go early or go late. But your maternity leave has to start on your due date or before, if you go early!

Hope it works out for you

Sunshinebrunshine · 01/09/2021 15:26

Check the guidelines. I think it is the day after you give birth (I went through this earlier this year and I had said my mat leave will start on due date and I was on annual leave. Baby came a week early when I was on leave and Maternity then started the day after I gave birth. So that gives you an extra day. www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/leave

sazzt · 01/09/2021 15:29

I had two weeks annual leave and then mat leave started on my due date...work have so far not asked what day the baby was born...it wouldn't have any consequence for me but as it happens she arrived during my annual leave.

gogohm · 01/09/2021 15:32

Legally it can be planned start from 11 weeks prior until your due date. If baby arrives before your due date and you aren't already on maternity leave then leave starts then. You can take annual leave beforehand as long as baby doesn't arrive early

Aquarius93 · 01/09/2021 15:33

@Amtheyest17 how frustrating. You would think they would use your due date so at least you can plan ahead and know what you will be paid when on mat leave! Hope it works out in your favour!

mummyh2016 · 01/09/2021 19:36

I know it's not honest (and I know from previous posts on this for some reason people go ballistic when it's suggested) but do you have to tell work if baby comes early? I was never instructed or told I had to inform my employer when my baby arrived.

mummyh2016 · 01/09/2021 19:39

I meant to add with DD I started my ML the day after my due date (as it was a weekend) and took 3 weeks AL before so finished at 37 weeks. DD was born at 38 weeks, I didn't let my employers know baby was early so my ML started officially when she was 2 weeks old. Like I say though I was never told I had to inform them and I didn't know/still don't know if it is a thing?

Marmite27 · 01/09/2021 19:40

My employer needed to see birth Cerys for both of my children to check my eligibility for enhanced mat pay.

It’s also for their entitlement to private health care that comes under my benefits package too.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 01/09/2021 19:42

Ah that's annoying, @Amtheyest17

I'm childfree so don't have actual experience of this.. Do they know when the baby is born unless you let them know? Could you just... Not tell them?!

I've managed people in the past and don't think I've ever been informed of when they gave birth. There has been the usual meet baby Horatio but nothing official.

Nillynally · 01/09/2021 19:53

Most first babies are late so I wouldn't stress yourself. Just don't exert yourself or get too excited on the week leading up to due date

Original poster

Amtheyest17 · 02/09/2021 01:55

@mummyh2016 I have read on Acas (I think it was, looked official) that you don’t need to show them anything but not sure if that’s just for statutory and for enhanced it’s down to companies discretion!

@Marmite27 this is what worries me - I would delay telling them then they would ask for proof 😂

@Nillynally this is what I’m banking on - literally going to lie stationery for the last month 😂

@Sunshinebrunshine did you just tell them baby had arrived and did you have to provide proof?

@HunterHearstHelmsley Im really not sure! It doesn’t sound like there’s something else that lets them know? Saying that I do feel like baby announcements come around quickly - work would be the last to know for me 😂

Thanks everyone for the replies, I’m currently lying awake really stressing about it. Also I HATE my job and was sticking it out for the mat pay!

OP posts:

Sunshinebrunshine · 02/09/2021 07:46

@Amtheyest17 I wasn't asked to provide proof. I just sent an email with the date of birth.

LogBurner2022 · 26/08/2025 17:16

Hello, I know this thread is from a while ago but I just wondered how you got on with baby? And if you got the enhanced pay? 😊

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