Maternity leave, rights & benefits - what you need to know

I’ve been recently reading various articles about Emma Barnett’s new book”Maternity Service: A Love Letter to Mothers from the Front Line” . Her book talks about how maternity leave is so badly named, because no actual ‘leave’ is involved. You are working harder than ever, yet get no pay, and little credit. Nothing restful about it. She also talks about how in another sense maternity leave IS aptly named - because it’s a period of leave from all you know: taking leave of one’s mind, body, job, and relationships!

Her book is a celebration and acknowledgement of the work of being on maternity leave, with its soaring highs and challenging lows, and its impact on how women feel about our purpose and ourselves.

This got me thinking about how poorly some women, and their partners too, get treated on maternity leave. How often their (protected) rights are not actually adhered to by their employers. How you sometimes have to fight for what you are legally entitled to - in pregnancy, on maternity leave, and once you think about returning to work too.

So here’s a whole bunch of resources where you can get the information you need to make sure you are getting everything you are entitled to, know your legal rights, and that you are not being screwed over by your employer (knowingly or unknowingly).

All about the Maternity Certificate (form MAT B1) that enables pregnant woman to claim:

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) from her employer
Maternity Allowance (MA) from Jobcentre Plus
Sure Start Maternity Grant (SSMG) from Jobcentre Plus

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maternity-certificate-mat-b1-guidance-for-health-professionals/maternity-certificate-form-mat-b1-guidance-on-completion

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/finding-out/maternity-and-paternity-benefits-and-leave/ takes you to the NHS webpage for information about:

Leave and time off
Working whilst pregnant
Paternity leave
Benefits & Tax credits
Financial help

Some REALLY important information here on what happens to your pension contributions on maternity leave. Check that your emploter is continuing to make the contributions they should be! Explained here: https://www.nuggetsavings.com/resources/what-happens-to-your-pension-contributions-on-maternity-leave?

Pregnant Then Screwed https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/ is an amazing charity, set up by Joeli Brearley in 2015 when she was screwed over by her employer. It has lots of excellent resources and a FREE legal helpline too

Working Families: https://workingfamilies.org.uk/ additional information about rights at work and free legal advice

Gingerbread: https://www.gingerbread.org.uk supporting and advising single parent families

ACAS: https://www.acas.org.uk/advice on workplace rights & rules

Citizens Advice: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ for advice on rights, benefits and support

Peabody: https://www.peabody.org.uk/supporting-you/ benefits-and-budgeting/welfare-benefits-and-money-service/ - benefits, rent issues, money & debt advice

Maternity Action; maternityaction.org.uk

EASS; equalityadvisoryservice.com

Black Working Mothers; blackworkingmothers.com