Maternity leave and compulsory holidays

[MyPetitPoisNo2]

I am due to go on Maternity Leave in August, and have the full 9 months enhanced paid Maternity leave, returning next summer. This means my maternity leave goes over Christmas. At my company we are being forced to take 2 days leave out of our annual holiday entitlement, and given 2 days leave complimentary from the company for the 4 working days between Christmas and New Year while the office is closed. This was communicated to all staff in January this year. As I will be on maternity leave anyway, should I be entitled to those 2 compulsory holidays back to be taken outside of my maternity does anyone know? Pretty sure the compulsory days are not in my contract and has been inconsistent over the years I have been working for the company if we have been required to use our holiday over that period or not. Any advice, or suggestions of where to get free advice welcome. Thank you in advance.

You get bank holidays back when you are on maternity leave so I would assume you be entitled to get those holidays days back too. The complimentary ones not so sure.
We don't have compulsory days off but I get all bank holidays back at the end of mat leave (have done twice now)

@SJM1988 thank you, I didn't know that for my last maternity, so didn't for that one, but will raise that for this maternity definitely. I think I am on maternity for all but 1 bank holiday this time so definitely worth knowing.

My employer wouldn't let me carry forward bank holidays that happened while I was on maternity leave. However, they do offer the same enhanced pay package for shared parental leave as for maternity, and I am petty, so I returned to 'work', took some annual leave as well as my bank holidays over Christmas, and then went back off on SPL instead. This meant there were a couple of weeks of leave entitlement that I wasn't using so my partner could have them - but you can go on SPL without sharing it. If you aren't getting enhanced pay at Christmas anyway, you could just come back, have your holidays, and then go onto SPL which also entitles you to more KIT days.