NHS Maternity dilemma!

[PhoebesGuitar]

Hello everyone!

Just wondering if I could get some advice. Currently on maternity (first pregnancy) and I've just received the confirmation letter from my NHS employer. I was supposed to get this in January as maternity leave started on 3rd Feb but only received now so I had no way to check the details despite emailing requesting this ahead of time. No pay forecast just a breakdown of my entitlement.

I chose to spread my pay over 9 months assuming I would just return to work following this, however the letter states that following the 9 months I will be off for 13 weeks unpaid not returning until January 2026.

Do I need to let someone know I will be returning after the 9 months or is it assumed because pay will have stopped I will be back at this time?

I think you need to give 2 months notice to change your return date. So they have assumed you are taking the full 12 months?

I thought that meant your pay is split over 12 not 9 months though when that happens? I'd be checking with payroll asap if you can

It depends on which trust your with so you need to check the maternity policy - what did you agree with your manager? It sounds like they’ve assumed you’re taking the whole year off? As the 13 weeks unpaid to take you up to a year would be inline with the typical policy.

In my trust, we have to give 8 weeks notice when we want to return to work if we want to bring it forward

That's what I thought as well hence why I chose the 9 months - the letter I received definitely says pay split over 9 months but maternity leave being 12 months! I definitely couldn't be having 13 weeks unpaid!

Been trying payroll all morning but as usual no answer! Will persevere lol

They should assume you are taking the full year and then you give 8 weeks notice to return earlier than that. Standard SMP would give 9 months paid and 3 months unpaid so if you chose pay over 9 months then 3 months would be unpaid if you took the full years leave.

I've just checked the policy and it actually isn't very clear at all - gives information about entitlement based on length of service and spreading pay over 26/39/52 weeks but doesnt actually state what length of mat leave this will include - maybe naively I assumed 9 month spread = 9 month maternity leave but going by my letter it's still one year

They can't assume you are taking less than 1 year. Towards the end of leave you would give notice that you are returning earlier than 1 year. Usual notice of returning early is 8 weeks

I always spread mine over 9 months and the letter they send always tells me my return date if I choose to take the unpaid leave as being the latest I can return, but I’ve never actually used the 3 months unpaid. I’d talk to payroll but generally I just get in touch with work a few months before I’m due back to confirm my return to work.