Extra Maternity Leave available?

[Linzi]

My friend informed me that I may be able to take extra maternity leave. I had originally planned to take 26 weeks, as I can't afford to be off for 52 weeks, but my friend told me that apparantly I can take 9 months off and those extra weeks are still paid, but just at a lower rate. She said it was introduced in April this year. Does anyone know anything about this? Any advice would be much appreciated as my porridge brain can't remember the goverment site that has maternity info on it!

I noriginally took 26 weeks as we couldnt afford for me to be off any longer, but I have taken the extra 13 weeks which is paid at SMP as well. So a total of 39 weeks at SMP. You can take up to 52 weeks, but after 39 weeks it is unpaid

xxx

 

[Neecee]

Public holiday are seperate for me. I get 23 days paid and then the public hols on top of that.

Me too, I get 27 leave days plus bank holidays. So when I got back next year my 2009 leave will be 34 days as all 7 bank holidays will have taken place while I was on leave.

Oh, I didn't realise that was possible - so you can add the public holiday to your allowance if they take place during you leave? That's interesting, I'll have to investigate...

 

[Sinead]

One way to extend your mat leave and get paid is take some of your annual leave at the end of your maternity????
I know most people at my work do that - usually 2 weeks before they start mat leave and 2 weeks after

 

[tiggertea]

https://smpcalculator.hmrc.gov.uk/SMP1.aspx

havent read all the replies, but this is the calculator the govt supplies for employers to work out what to pay you...... i found it very useful.....