Thames Valley: Britain lags behind on paid maternity leave, says lawyer

Britain is near the bottom of the European league for paid maternity leave, according to research recently published by the Trade Union Congress,   says Rebecca Ellerbeck, senior solicitor in Blandy & Blandy LLP’s employment law team.

“The UK offers up to 52 weeks of maternity leave. However, it only offers up to 39 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). For the first six weeks after the birth, women in the UK get 90% of their previous pay, but that drops to £139.58 a week (or continues at 90% if that is lower) for the next 33 weeks. Tax and national insurance are deducted. If women are not eligible for SMP, they may be eligible for Maternity Allowance, which is paid by the government for up to 39 weeks.  From April 2, 2017, the standard rates of SMP rose from £139.58 to £140.98 per week (or 90% of the person’s average weekly earnings if lower) in accordance with the Social Security Benefits Up-Rating Order 2017 SI 2017/260," explained Ellerbeck. 

She added: "However, the UK trails far behind other European countries in offering 'decently paid' maternity pay (the TUC defined 'decently paid' as two-thirds of a woman’s salary or more than £840 a month). The UK ranks 22 out of 24 among European countries that offer statutory maternity leave; only Ireland and Slovakia have a worse deal than the UK, according to the TUC. Mums in the UK only get six weeks’ decently-paid maternity leave, whereas most European countries offer three months or more. Croatia offers six months; Poland Hungary and the Czech Republic offer more than four months; and Estonia, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, France, Malta and Switzerland offer more than three months.

"Of course, employers can (but often don’t) offer more generous pay than those required by law."