Please explain maternity pay as if I am an idiot

[Irecan]

Hello!

I am going to sound a bit obsessive but I am trying to plan my (IVF) due date at a specific time when I’ll be on a certain amount of pay. I work for the NHS and I will have continuous service over 12 months so I will qualify for the occupational mat pay regardless. I will potentially start this role in October, it will be band 6 salary but I don’t know when I’ll qualify for occupational mat pay based on band 6 salary. The NHS staff handbook states that they calculate mat pay the same way the government calculate SMP. So the gov site says this: to calculate your weekly earnings your employer will average your gross earnings over a period of AT LEAST eight weeks up to and including the last payday before the end of your qualifying week. The qualifying week is the 15th week before the week your baby is due. What does this mean in layman terms please? I don’t really know what they mean by averaging my earnings over a period of at least eight weeks. Basically I‘m on band 4 pay until October and want to ensure my mat leave pay is based on band 6 salary not band 4. Ideally was hoping to implant our embryos in june/ July.

Thank you and sorry for complete ignorance and naivety in the subject!

It’s worded so confusingly isn’t it! So basically if you have your due date, work out 15 weeks before that and then 8 weeks back from that. Those 8 weeks will be the qualifying period that your mat pay will be based on. I hope that makes sense x

well why don’t they just say that then, that makes sense to me now 😂 so technically if I start in October, a January due date and anything onwards would be fine.

thank you so much

Oh no probably not January that might be too early, but I get it now (I think)

Haha I know! Yeah that sounds about right

Just trying to remember with my DS. He was born February (last year) and my mat pay was based on my pay in September and I think August too

@Irecan have a play around with the .gov maternity pay calculator, if you put a dummy due date in it will show you when the qualify weeks are and what pay period etc should be covered.

Thanks will do

You have to be no more than 25 or 26 weeks (can't remember) pregnant when you reach your 12 months at the NHS. Basically, if you were 30 weeks by the time you get to your one year anniversary, you wouldn't get occupational pay only SMP.