Can someone help me understand Maternity Pay?

[Almond301]

Hi everyone,

I am TTC my first baby but want to get clued up on maternity pay so we can plan now to cover my time off. Does anyone understand how it works when your company gives you 'enhanced maternity' alongside statutory maternity pay?

My company policy states 'any entitlement the employee may have to statutory maternity pay is included in the enhanced maternity pay scheme'. The scheme they state is:
16 weeks full basic pay
23 weeks statutory maternity pay
13 weeks unpaid

I thought statutory was for 39 weeks so I dont understand how this fits or whether it starts at the beginning of your maternity leave and they give it on top of your current salary?

If anyone can help that would be great! Bit reluctant to go to HR at the moment as I am not actually pg (yet!).

Your 39 week statutory is at minimum made up of 6 weeks at 90% of full pay, followed by 33 weeks smp iirc. 16 weeks full pay seems to be very generous as I only got the bare minimum they can legally pay me!

Don't know if I explained very well - when you start mat leave you will get your 16 weeks full pay then 23 at smp because the total needs to be 39 weeks.

What they're saying is you dont get amp on top of what they pay you iyswim

Hi both

Thanks v much for your replies! So I presume that after 16 weeks I drop down to the £100 and something rate rather than the 90%? Sorry for being a bit thick!

I might have good maternity but I'm desperate for a new job as soo bored! But holding on to get of and get the mat pay!! Fingers crossed I'm not waiting years!

rather than getting 6 weeks at 90% pay then 33 weeks of SMP (=39 weeks) you are getting 16 weeks full pay and then 23 weeks SMP (=39 weeks) which is very reasonable. Do you have to go back afterwards to get to keep the enhanced maternity pay?

Thanks Vodka for clarifying that! I'll do some sums and see where we are! I think I have to work my notice period to keep the enhanced pay. I really want to retrain so hoping to go back for a bit then go back to uni full time. Prob a pipe dream with a baby in tow but the thought is keeping me going at the moment! Come on BFP!

Vodka put it much better than me! In your position I would think really carefully about trying to stay where you are for a while to make sure you get the advanced package as lots of employers only give the minimum required by law.

Good luck!