All pregnant employees are entitled to take up to 52 weeks of maternity leave regardless of how long they've worked for their employer or the number of hours worked per week.

Maternity leave is taken as a single continuous period and is made up of:

• 26 weeks Ordinary Maternity Leave (OML)
• 26 weeks Additional Maternity Leave.

The leave cannot start earlier than 11 weeks before the week your baby is due.

You should tell your company, in writing, no later than the end of the 15th week before the week your baby is due, the date you want to take your leave and the date your baby is due. You are entitled to return to work after your baby is born.

Remember – your pregnancy rights and benefits won’t officially start until your employer has confirmation in writing that you are pregnant, so even if it seems a bit formal, don’t forget to put it in a letter.

Further information

Unsure about what Maternity Pay you are eligible for? Find out more here.