Expecting Twins/Triplets - Maternity Benefits & Rights | Financial Help & Advice | Twin Tips | Resources Centre | Twins UK
Expecting Twins/Triplets - Maternity Benefits & Rights
Unfortunately. parents of twins. triplets or more are currently not entitled to additional maternity or paternity benefits. Leave and pay entitlements remain the same as if you were carrying one baby.
However. as a multiple pregnancy can be more physically demanding. you may wish to start your maternity leave earlier. the recommendation would be to leave at 29 weeks.& Premature labour is much more common in multiple pregnancy with around 50% of twins born early (before 37 weeks).
Maternity / Paternity Leave
All pregnant women are entitled to Ordinary Maternity Leave (OML) for 26 weeks. It can be started at the earliest 11 weeks before your expected week of childbirth. and this is when you start to receive Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). Otherwise SMP is paid from when you leave work. or from when your babies are born if they arrive prematurely.
Expectant fathers currently have the legal right to two weeks of paid paternity leave. which can be taken in one block of either one week or two consecutive weeks. to be taken within 56 days of the expected week of birth. (This arrangement gives fathers of premature babies a longer time in which to take the leave. which can be particularly useful if the babies are in special care for a while.)
Maternity Pay / Grants
If you have worked for your employer for a year by week 29 of your pregnancy. and you earned at least £84 a week before tax. you should be entitled to SMP and Additional Maternity Leave (AML). SMP is currently 90% of your average pay for the first six weeks. then £108.85 per week for the remaining 20 weeks. Additional Maternity Leave lasts for 26 weeks from the end of OML and. although it is unpaid. it gives you the right to return to your old job (or a more practical one on the same terms and conditions).
Your employer must assume you"ll be coming back to work the day after your maternity leave entitlement ends. You don"t have to tell them when you"re coming back to work. But if you"re coming back sooner than the end of your leave entitlement. you must give your employer 28 days notice of your return.
If you don"t qualify for SMP. you should be able to claim Maternity Allowance (MA) from your local Jobcentre Plus. If you"re on a low income and/or receiving certain benefits. you could receive the Sure Start Maternity Grant. which is a one-off payment to help with the costs of a new baby. You receive £500 for each baby. and it doesn"t have to be repaid. Details are available from your local Jobcentre Plus office.
Some employers offer contractual maternity and paternity rights. which offer enhanced leave and/or pay. However. you may have to pay back anything received in addition to the statutory minimum if you do not return to work for a certain period after the birth.
Child Benefits
Many mums of twins or more find that (if they can afford it) they need to take AML before returning to work after their babies arrive. The childcare costs for two or more babies are high. and this is an important factor in deciding if and when you return to work.
If you qualify for Working Tax Credit because your earnings are low. you could receive help with childcare costs. Also. ask your employer if they offer a childcare voucher scheme. which offers you a small portion of your salary in childcare vouchers free of tax and NI deductions.
Child benefit is a non-means tested payment made to parents or guardians of children aged under 16 (or under 19 and in full-time education or training). It is payable at two rates - higher (£17.45 per week/£17.55 per week for lone parents) and basic (£11.70 per week). The higher amount is payable for the eldest child. with the basic rate payable for all other children in the family. If the eldest children are twins. the higher rate is only payable for the baby that was born first. Child benefit can only be backdated for three months. so you should apply as soon as possible after the birth.
Child tax credit is a payment to support families with children. and is based on your household income. In addition to the family element. you will also qualify for the baby addition for one of your twins.
Working rights
You're not legally obliged to tell your employer that you"re pregnant until 15 weeks before your due date. In many cases it is. however. beneficial to tell your employer earlier. because if you"re pregnant you have other entitlements at work. including:
Protection from discrimination. including being sent on training courses and being promoted.
Protection from being sacked just because you"re pregnant.
The right to a reasonable amount of paid time off for antenatal appointments. What is reasonable isn"t defined in law. Women must try to minimise disruption for their employer"s business. but the employer has to have a good reason for refusing permission.
Special health and safety protection.
Healthcare
Pregnant women and those who have had a baby in the last 12 months are entitled to free NHS prescriptions. You"re also entitled to free NHS dental treatment providing that you start a course of treatment while pregnant or during the 12 months after giving birth.
To claim your free prescriptions and dental treatment you"ll need a valid maternity exemption certificate or card issued by the Prescription Pricing Authority. To apply for your maternity exemption card ask your doctor. midwife or health visitor for Form FW8. Your doctor. midwife or health visitor will sign the form to confirm your statement.
Further information:
Other Articles : Financial & Practical Help Factsheet http://www.twinsuk.co.uk/twinstips.php?action=view&id=94
Find more information on maternity and paternity rights using the interactive guide at the government"s TIGER website (Tailored Interactive Guidance on Employment Rights).
For more information about your legal rights in pregnancy. see the website of the Equal Opportunities Commission
Sure Start Maternity Grant application form (Department of Work and Pensions)
Child benefit (HMRC)
Maternity rights for employees (TIGER)
Paternity rights for employees (TIGER)
TAMBA (Twins and Multiple Births Association)
< Back
However. as a multiple pregnancy can be more physically demanding. you may wish to start your maternity leave earlier. the recommendation would be to leave at 29 weeks.& Premature labour is much more common in multiple pregnancy with around 50% of twins born early (before 37 weeks).
Maternity / Paternity Leave
All pregnant women are entitled to Ordinary Maternity Leave (OML) for 26 weeks. It can be started at the earliest 11 weeks before your expected week of childbirth. and this is when you start to receive Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). Otherwise SMP is paid from when you leave work. or from when your babies are born if they arrive prematurely.
Expectant fathers currently have the legal right to two weeks of paid paternity leave. which can be taken in one block of either one week or two consecutive weeks. to be taken within 56 days of the expected week of birth. (This arrangement gives fathers of premature babies a longer time in which to take the leave. which can be particularly useful if the babies are in special care for a while.)
Maternity Pay / Grants
If you have worked for your employer for a year by week 29 of your pregnancy. and you earned at least £84 a week before tax. you should be entitled to SMP and Additional Maternity Leave (AML). SMP is currently 90% of your average pay for the first six weeks. then £108.85 per week for the remaining 20 weeks. Additional Maternity Leave lasts for 26 weeks from the end of OML and. although it is unpaid. it gives you the right to return to your old job (or a more practical one on the same terms and conditions).
Your employer must assume you"ll be coming back to work the day after your maternity leave entitlement ends. You don"t have to tell them when you"re coming back to work. But if you"re coming back sooner than the end of your leave entitlement. you must give your employer 28 days notice of your return.
If you don"t qualify for SMP. you should be able to claim Maternity Allowance (MA) from your local Jobcentre Plus. If you"re on a low income and/or receiving certain benefits. you could receive the Sure Start Maternity Grant. which is a one-off payment to help with the costs of a new baby. You receive £500 for each baby. and it doesn"t have to be repaid. Details are available from your local Jobcentre Plus office.
Some employers offer contractual maternity and paternity rights. which offer enhanced leave and/or pay. However. you may have to pay back anything received in addition to the statutory minimum if you do not return to work for a certain period after the birth.
Child Benefits
Many mums of twins or more find that (if they can afford it) they need to take AML before returning to work after their babies arrive. The childcare costs for two or more babies are high. and this is an important factor in deciding if and when you return to work.
If you qualify for Working Tax Credit because your earnings are low. you could receive help with childcare costs. Also. ask your employer if they offer a childcare voucher scheme. which offers you a small portion of your salary in childcare vouchers free of tax and NI deductions.
Child benefit is a non-means tested payment made to parents or guardians of children aged under 16 (or under 19 and in full-time education or training). It is payable at two rates - higher (£17.45 per week/£17.55 per week for lone parents) and basic (£11.70 per week). The higher amount is payable for the eldest child. with the basic rate payable for all other children in the family. If the eldest children are twins. the higher rate is only payable for the baby that was born first. Child benefit can only be backdated for three months. so you should apply as soon as possible after the birth.
Child tax credit is a payment to support families with children. and is based on your household income. In addition to the family element. you will also qualify for the baby addition for one of your twins.
Working rights
You're not legally obliged to tell your employer that you"re pregnant until 15 weeks before your due date. In many cases it is. however. beneficial to tell your employer earlier. because if you"re pregnant you have other entitlements at work. including:
Protection from discrimination. including being sent on training courses and being promoted.
Protection from being sacked just because you"re pregnant.
The right to a reasonable amount of paid time off for antenatal appointments. What is reasonable isn"t defined in law. Women must try to minimise disruption for their employer"s business. but the employer has to have a good reason for refusing permission.
Special health and safety protection.
Healthcare
Pregnant women and those who have had a baby in the last 12 months are entitled to free NHS prescriptions. You"re also entitled to free NHS dental treatment providing that you start a course of treatment while pregnant or during the 12 months after giving birth.
To claim your free prescriptions and dental treatment you"ll need a valid maternity exemption certificate or card issued by the Prescription Pricing Authority. To apply for your maternity exemption card ask your doctor. midwife or health visitor for Form FW8. Your doctor. midwife or health visitor will sign the form to confirm your statement.
Further information:
Other Articles : Financial & Practical Help Factsheet http://www.twinsuk.co.uk/twinstips.php?action=view&id=94
Find more information on maternity and paternity rights using the interactive guide at the government"s TIGER website (Tailored Interactive Guidance on Employment Rights).
For more information about your legal rights in pregnancy. see the website of the Equal Opportunities Commission
Sure Start Maternity Grant application form (Department of Work and Pensions)
Child benefit (HMRC)
Maternity rights for employees (TIGER)
Paternity rights for employees (TIGER)
TAMBA (Twins and Multiple Births Association)
< Back
