Restructure and pregnant

[slby]

Does anyone know what the rules are for receiving enhanced maternity pay if there is a risk you will be made redundant.
Our staff handbook is bland about it all and just says if you have been there 18 months. What if you are made redundant before you go on maternity leave - will they still pay it?
If you go on maternity leave early say at 28 weeks and are made redundant will you still get it ir can they only give you statutory?

Enhanced maternity pay will be for employees only, not for ex employees. You need to have been employed for 18 months and although it may not specifically say "and still be employed" I think it's fair to assume that to be the case.

So say you planned to go on maternity leave at 34 weeks but they made you redundant at 30 weeks, would you have been better off going on maternity leave at 28 weeks in order to get paid?

No, because (assuming they make you redundant at 30 weeks even if you're already on maternity leave) you'll only get statutory maternity pay either way - as I said, enhanced will only be for employees.

If you are far enough along to have qualified for your mat pay I would say you get enhanced as well as smp. You also have additional rights once on mat leave ( first dibs on any new roles). I would ask your employer what their position is first & then if you don't agree with it, you can raise it & ask them to reconsider. I'd ask on the basis of what if the baby comes early rather than I'm trying to work out strategically when to start my mat leave. Enhanced schemes are down to each employer's own rules but if no rules usually just follow the stat scheme

Enhanced pay policies generally only apply to employees and usually require you to return to work for a period after maternity leave to avoid having to pay the enhanced pay back when you leave. So I would say it's more likely you'll only get statutory pay.